Limiting Partition Coefficient in Progressive Freeze‐concentration

In the progressive freeze‐concentration, limiting partition coefficient, K 0 , is a very important process parameter, which corresponds to the partition coefficient of a solute between the ice and liquid phase assuming the infinitesimal ice growth rate and/or the infinite mass‐transfer rate at the ice‐liquid interface. K 0 was determined for glucose and various electrolytes in the single‐component and multi‐component systems. K 0 was dependent both on the concentration and the type of solute. In the single‐component system, osmotic pressure was proved to be the major determinant of K 0 . In the multi‐component system, K 0 for a solute was affected by the coexisting solute through the osmotic pressure of the total system. K 0 was also dependent on viscosity when the change in the osmotic pressure was limited but the change in the viscosity was considerable because of the coexisting solute.