Size-dependent growth kinetics of vitamin C crystals in water solutions of L(+)-ascorbic acid with the addition of methanol and ethanol

Growth kinetics of vitamin C crystals during the batch mass crystallization process in L(+)-ascorbic acid - methanol - ethanol - water system was determined. The linear growth rate values were estimated on the basis of the product crystal size distributions. The kinetic model of the continuous process in a MSMPR crystallizer was adopted for the batch mode description according to Nyvlt's conception, taking the size- dependent growth (SDG) rate effects into consideration. The kinetic parameter values were determined with a Rojkowski hyperbolic SDG model. A good compatibility between the experimental product crystal population density distributions and the SDG model predictions was observed. The interpretation of the kinetic data was presented and discussed.