Processes for separating a
solid from a solids-liquids
slurry under conditions that prevent ingress of
molecular oxygen are advantageous where the presence of
molecular oxygen would otherwise reduce efficiencies, contribute to limited product yields, and potentially compromise
safe operation of the process or downstream unit operations. Among the various embodiments disclosed herein, is a process utilizing filter columns as
solid-liquid separators in combination with
crystallization and reslurry unit operations to recover a product component from an initial feed mixture of miscible components. Embodiments of the disclosed processes may include the separation and purification of a product component using a crystallizer in series with a filter column followed by a
chemical reactor, using a reslurry drum in series with a filter column, and using a combination of crystallizers and / or reslurry drums in series with at least one filter column. The use of filter columns in such processes is particularly attractive because these columns, when operated under the conditions disclosed herein, limit the undesirable ingress of
molecular oxygen into the various process streams, and further improve process efficiencies related to both product component
recovery and operating costs.