Abstract: A carbonating tower for the production of sodium bicarbonate magma has a hollow casing accommodating perforated plates arranged one above another which divide the inner space of the casing into a separation compartment and reaction compartments communicating with one another via overflow pipes. Each reaction compartment has an annular baffle coaxial therewith arranged adjacent to the upper end of the overflow pipe, the baffle being adapted to define a zone for accumulation of solid crystalline phase in the magma. There are also provided means for removing said magma from one reaction compartment into the next compartment. The provision of the accumulation zone and the means for removal of magma contributes to the reduction of supersaturation of the solution with sodium bicarbonate, whereby crystals of uniform shape and size are obtained.

Abstract: A plate heat exchanger generally for media liberating a gaseous agent from a liquid heat-transfer medium during heat-exchanging process characterized in that stacks of heat-exchanging plates are placed inside a housing, the interior of this housing being in communication with channels for passing a gaseous heat-transfer medium, whereas each of the heat-exchanging plates has partitions providing a required flow direction for the gaseous agent liberated from the liquid heat-transfer medium and contributing to its discharging from the zones of its liberation disposed at different height of the channel.