Abstract: The specification discloses a spent seed recovery and regeneration process for an MHM power plant employing an alkali metal salt seed material such as potassium salt wherein the spent potassium seed in the form of potassium sulfate is collected from the flue gas and reacted with calcium hydroxide and carbon monoxide in an aqueous solution to cause the formation of calcium sulfate and potassium formate. The pH of the solution is adjusted to supress formation of formic acid and to promote precipitation of any dissolved calcium salts. The solution containing potassium formate is then employed to provide the potassium salt in the form of potassium formate or, optionally, by heating the potassium formate under oxidizing conditions to convert the potassium formate to potassium carbonate.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for using water to remove amine from an oil-amine component. The oil-amine component is typically produced in prior art processes using an amine having an inverse critical solution temperature with water to break emulsions and sludges. The steps of the present invention include adding water to the oil-amine component in an amount sufficient to form a water-amine azeotrope with substantially all the amine in the oil-amine component followed by heating to remove the azeotrope. The method of the present invention may be used to remove amine from an oil-amine component even where the amine is present in an amount as low as 10% or less by weight.

Abstract: A method for ensuring an adequate amount of seed crystal in solution concentration systems employing preferential precipitation to control scaling and fouling over relatively low concentration factors. In systems concentrating solutions at concentration factors between 1 and 2, the method comprises determining the minimum amount of seed crystal necessary for the solution being concentrated at a concentration factor of about 10 or greater and introducing into the feeds solution a percentage of this amount according to the equation, % introduced=25.times.(C.F.).times.(C.F..sub.MAX /C.F..sub.MAX -1).

Abstract: A method for preventing fouling in apparatus used to separate a solvent from a solute which includes a semi-permeable membrane barrier is disclosed. The method comprises providing a quantity of nucleation crystals in the fluid stream passing through the separation apparatus which causes preferential precipitation of the solute thereby eliminating the formation of deposits on the membrane barrier. An apparatus for carrying out the process of the invention is also disclosed.