Patent ID: 8728321

Claim:
A process to separate at least a portion of solid matter from a mixture including a process liquid that includes more than 90 weight percent of a fluid comprising one or more glycols, one or more alcohols, one or more amines, and/or a mixture thereof, each of which is more than 80% soluble in water at room temperature and the solid matter, the method comprising a) placing the mixture of process liquid and solid matter into a reservoir that is connected proximate its base to a conveying means which includes surface area increasing means for increasing the horizontal and/or inclined surface area along which solid matter can move and make contact with the second water miscible liquid; b) introducing beneath the mixture a second water miscible liquid having a density greater than the density of the process liquid and allowing at least a portion of the solid matter and any process liquid bound thereto to move through at least a portion of the second water miscible liquid and along the surface area increasing means; and wherein the movement of the portion of solid matter through the portion of second water miscible liquid and along the surface area increasing means causes at least a portion of the less dense process liquid bound to the moving portion of the solid matter to be displaced from the moving portion of solid matter.