The experimental setup involved a continuous crystallization unit operated under controlled conditions at 60 °C, with flow introduced at a low rate to minimize disturbance. Crystal growth was primarily initiated at the boundary between the surface of the circular sieve plate and the surrounding solution and progressively expanded upward along the submerged portion of the plate. This observation suggests that the local thermal and flow conditions near the solid–liquid interface strongly influence nucleation and crystal retention.
To investigate these effects in greater detail, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling will be used to simulate flow behavior and heat distribution within the crystallizer. The objective is to identify thermally favorable zones that support stable crystal growth. These insights will inform future experiments involving lithium carbonate and magnesium chloride, contributing to the design of high-efficiency, low-energy Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) crystallization systems.