| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090014313 | Low-energy extractive distillation process for dehydration of aqueous ethanol - An energy-efficient extractive distillation process for producing anhydrous ethanol from aqueous/ethanol feeds containing any range of ethanol employs an extractive distillation column (EDC) that operates under no or greatly reduced liquid reflux conditions. The EDC can be incorporated into an integrated process for producing anhydrous ethanol used for gasoline blending from fermentation broth. By using a high-boiling extractive distillation solvent, no solvent is entrained by the vapor phase to the EDC overhead stream, even under no liquid reflux conditions. The energy requirement and severity of the EDC can be further improved by limiting ethanol recovery in the EDC. In this partial ethanol recovery design, ethanol which remains in the aqueous stream from the EDC is recovered in a post-distillation column or the aqueous stream is recycled to a front-end pre-distillation column where the ethanol is readily recovered since the VLE curve for ethanol/water is extremely favorable for distillation. | 01-15-2009 |
| 20090038991 | EXTRACTIVE DISTILLATION PROCESS FOR RECOVERING AROMATICS FROM PETROLEUM STREAMS - The present invention relates to a process for recovering polar hydrocarbons from non-polar hydrocarbons, such as aromatics from non-aromatics, naphthenes from paraffins and isoparaffins, or olefins from paraffins and isoparaffins, in feed mixtures containing at least a measurable amount of heavier hydrocarbons. According to the invention, an improved extractive distillation (ED) process is disclosed for recovering aromatic hydrocarbons including benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX aromatics) from the C | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090105514 | Extractive distillation processes using water-soluble extractive solvents - Extractive distillation processes whereby water-soluble extractive distillation (ED) solvents are regenerated and recovered employ improved operations of the extractive distillation column (EDC) so that polar hydrocarbons are recovered and purified from mixtures containing polar and less polar hydrocarbons and measurable amounts of hydrocarbons that are heavier than intended feedstock and/or polymers that are generated in the ED process. The improved process can effectively remove and recover the heavy hydrocarbons and/or remove polymer contaminants from the solvent in a closed solvent circulating loop through mild operating conditions with no additional process energy being expended. With the improved process, the overhead reflux of the EDC may be eliminated to further reduce energy consumption and to enhance the loading and performance within the upper portion of the EDC, especially when two liquid phases exists therein. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090255853 | Novel energy efficient and throughput enhancing extractive process for aromatics recovery - An energy efficient, high throughput process for aromatics recovery can be readily implemented by revamping existing sulfolane solvent extraction facilities, or constructing new ones, so as to incorporate unique process operations involving liquid-liquid extraction and extractive distillation. Current industrial sulfolane solvent based liquid-liquid extraction processes employ a liquid-liquid extraction column, an extractive stripping column, a solvent recovery column, a raffinate wash column, and a solvent regenerator. The improved process for aromatic hydrocarbon recovery from a mixture of aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons requires transformation of the extractive stripping column into a modified extractive distillation column. The revamping incorporates the unique advantages of liquid-liquid extraction and extractive distillation into one process to significantly reduce energy consumption and increase process throughput. The revamp entails essentially only piping changes and minor equipment adjustments of the original liquid-liquid extraction facility, and is therefore, reversible. | 10-15-2009 |
| 20100041919 | PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR RECOVERY OF ACETIC ACID FROM METHYL ACETATE - An apparatus and process are described for recovery of a carboxylic acid by hydrolysis of an ester in a mixture comprising the ester, an alcohol and water. The apparatus comprises a catalytic distillation column containing an acidic catalyst and a distillation column. Simultaneously and interdependently the alcohol is catalytically dehydrated to the corresponding ether and water, and said water reacts with the ester to generate a carboxylic acid rich stream from the catalytic distillation column. The acid is recovered by distillation in the distillation column. The process requires no added water. A second embodiment of the apparatus and process has means to co-feed one or both of added methanol and/or water with the feed to maintain substantially optimum operation independent of feed composition. | 02-18-2010 |
| 20100200461 | Process for Producing Petroleum Oils with Ultra-Low Nitrogen Content - A highly effective liquid-liquid extraction process to remove nitrogen compounds and especially basic nitrogen compounds from aromatic light petroleum oils with excellent recovery employs de-ionized water, which can be acidified, as the extractive solvent. The product is an aromatic hydrocarbon with ultra-low amounts of nitrogen poisons that can deactivate acidic catalysts. The extracted oils are suitable feedstock for the subsequent catalytic processes that are promoted with the high performance solid catalysts, which are extremely sensitive to nitrogen poison. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100249457 | Apparatus and method for recovery of acetic acid from an aqueous solution thereof - The invention disclosed relates to an apparatus and method for recovering acetic acid from an aqueous feed stream containing acetic acid, in particular a stream generated during terephthalic acid production. The apparatus includes: a liquid-liquid extraction column to which water-rich feed streams are fed, having a guard bed situated near the top and within the extraction column for conversion by reaction with acetic acid of alcohol within the mixture to the corresponding ester; and an azeotropic distillation column to remove residual water from acetic acid, to which water-poor feed streams are fed directly at a height of the azeotropic distillation column at which the mixture therein has a similar water concentration. The liquid-liquid extraction column produces an extract comprising an extraction solvent and acetic acid which is sent to the azeotropic distillation column to separate residual water and acetic acid. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20110266134 | Low-Energy Extractive Distillation Process for Dehydration of Aqueous Ethanol - An energy-efficient extractive distillation process for producing anhydrous ethanol from aqueous/ethanol feeds containing any range of ethanol employs an extractive distillation column (EDC) that operates under no or greatly reduced liquid reflux conditions. The EDC can be incorporated into an integrated process for producing anhydrous ethanol used for gasoline blending from fermentation broth. By using a high-boiling extractive distillation solvent, no solvent, is entrained by the vapor phase to the EDC overhead stream, even under no liquid reflux conditions. The energy requirement and severity of the EDC can be further improved by limiting ethanol recovery in the EDC. In this partial ethanol recovery design, ethanol which remains in the aqueous stream from the EDC is recovered in a post-distillation column or the aqueous stream is recycled to a front-end pre-distillation column where the ethanol is readily recovered since the VLE curve for ethanol/water is extremely favorable for distillation. | 11-03-2011 |
