Apparatus and method for isolating and/or eliminating solutes from a solution

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus for removing solutes from a solution using a nano-filtration means to provide a treated solution.

1 . An apparatus for removing at least one solute from a solution comprising a receptacle for a solution; a nano-filtration means in fluid communication with the receptacle; a means for driving the solution through the nano-filtration means to produce a retentate at a retentate outlet and a raw permeate at a raw permeate outlet; a separation means having an inlet which is in fluid communication with the raw permeate outlet of the nano-filtration means and a treated permeate effluent outlet which is in fluid communication with the retentate outlet which, in use, combines the retentate egressing from the retentate outlet with the treated permeate egressing from the treated permeate effluent outlet to provide a treated solution.  
     
     
         2 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the separation means is a treatment column.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the column is an ion exchange column.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the column is a hydrophobic interaction column.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the column is an affinity column.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 2  wherein the column is a gel filtration- column or gel exclusion column.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  for removing at least one solute from an untreated alcoholic beverage comprising a receptacle for the untreated alcoholic beverage; a nano-filtration means in fluid communication with the receptacle; a means for driving the untreated alcoholic beverage through the nano-filtration unit to produce a retentate at a retentate outlet and a raw permeate at a raw permeate outlet; an anion exchange column having an inlet which is in fluid communication with the raw permeate outlet of the nano-filtration unit and a treated permeate effluent outlet which is in fluid communication with the retentate outlet which, in use, combines the retentate egressing from the retentate outlet with the treated permeate egressing from the treated permeate effluent outlet to provide a treated untreated alcoholic beverage.  
     
     
         8 . A method for treatment of a solution to remove at least one solute from a solution, including the steps of subjecting the solution to a process of nano-filtration for producing a retentate and a raw permeate, with the raw permeate containing the solute; treating the raw permeate for removing at least a portion of the solute to provide a treated permeate; and combining the retentate and the treated permeate to provide a treated solution, preferably the treatment of the raw permeate occurs under high pH conditions on an anion exchange column.  
     
     
         9 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  7 , including any new and inventive integer or combination thereof herein described.  
     
     
         10 . An apparatus as claimed in any one of  claims 1  to  7 , including any new and inventive integer or combination thereof herein exemplified.  
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 8 , including any new and inventive integer herein described.