Unie Van Kunstmestfabrieken B.v.

Karel G Raemaekers

Andreas J Biermans

Henk C Burks

A method and apparatus for determining the saturation temperature of a solution containing a dissolved substance, the crystals of which are optically anisotropic. The solution is placed in an optical measurement vessel under conditions wherein crystals of said substance are present, and the temperature of said crystal containing solution is gradually increased to at least the temperature at which all of the crystals dissolve. The temperature of the solution is continuously measured. Simultaneously with the temperature increase, a beam of linearly polarized light is directed into the optical measurement vessel in a manner such that it is transmitted through said solution; the transmitted beam of light, after having passed through the solution, is directed through a light polarizing analyzer having a direction of polarization normal to that of said beam of light; and at least a portion of any light transmitted through said analyzer is directed to a light measuring photodetector. Any light passing through crystals while present in the solution is optically rotated such that it is transmitted through the analyzer to the measuring photodetector, and the intensity of the transmitted light reaching said photodetector decreases to a lower, substantially constant level when all of the crystals have dissolved. The saturation temperature is the temperature of the solution at the time the light measured by the photodetector reaches this lower, substantially constant level.

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Munstergeleen, Netherlands

Karel G Raemaekers