How does artificial heat produce evaporated salt from brine?

To produce evaporated salt from brine using artificial heat, the brine is first pumped into settling tanks to remove impurities like calcium and magnesium compounds through chemical treatment. Once settled and filtered, the brine is processed using one of several methods:1

• Grainer Operations: The brine is delivered to a long, open trough (a grainer) heated by steam coils. Evaporation occurs at the surface, where crystals form as inverted hollow pyramids. These crystals are held by surface tension until they grow and sink, resulting in a flake-like salt.1
• Multiple-Effect Vacuum Evaporators: This method uses a series of vessels where the vacuum is adjusted so that vapor from one vessel provides the heat to boil the brine in the next. This process is highly efficient, significantly reducing the amount of steam required per ton of salt produced.1
• Alberger Process: This is a hybrid method that combines vacuum-pan evaporation with grainer operations. It produces a mixture of cubic crystals and flakes, which are then centrifuged and dried.1

These industrial methods allow for precise control over crystal size and purity, often resulting in products tailored for specific food industry applications.1