Abstract: A method is provided for making large, uniform and individual crystals from aqueous solutions including the steps of obtaining a concentrated aqueous solution by means of evaporation; rapidly cooling the solution from a post-evaporation high temperature to a first lower temperature, wherein the first lower temperature is lower than the post-evaporation high temperature and further wherein the first lower temperature is an isothermal crystallization temperature of said solution; generating a batch of initial nuclei by inducing nucleation at the first lower temperature and starting crystal growth; uniformly spreading the initial nuclei into a bulk solution; maintaining simultaneous and rapid growth of crystals from the nuclei at the first lower temperature for a predetermined length of time; continuing the growth of the crystals to produce large, uniform and individual crystals for a predetermined length of time at a temperature that varies gradually from between a first lower temperature to a second lower temp

Abstract: Investigations on the formation and growth behavior of ice crystallization in aqueous solutions reveal an important phenomenon—ice crystal transformation. It leads to very rapid growth of ice crystals and result in grain-shaped and agglomerated large crystals without inside entrainment of solute. This provides a practical basis for a new technology of freeze concentration. The efficient physical process for freeze concentration of aqueous solutions comprises, mainly, refrigerating solutions to a supercooled status without ice nucleation, or without ice formation on the heat transfer surface, instantaneously nucleating the supercooled solution to generate fine ice crystals and make the solution concentrated, producing large, grain/sphere-shaped ice crystals at high rate by growth, transformation and agglomeration of ice crystals under environment of well-controlled endo/exothermal balances.