Abstract: A method for cleaning a contaminated solvent used to treat a gas stream, for example a contaminated glycol or a contaminated amine stream, by vacuum evaporation using a mechanically-maintained horizontally-orientated thin film evaporator, where the contaminant material is recovered from the thin film in solvent-free form, as either a heavy organic material or as free flowing salts.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a contaminated solvent used to treat a gas stream, for example a contaminated glycol or a contaminated amine stream, by vacuum evaporation using a mechanically-maintained horizontally-orientated thin film evaporator, where the contaminant material is recovered from the thin film in solvent-free form, as either a heavy organic material or as free flowing salts.

Abstract: There is provided a regeneration process for converting oxazolidones such as hydroxypropyloxazolidone (HPOZD) to alkanolamines such as di-isopropanolamine (DIPA) and CO2. An amine stream containing HPOZD joins a stream that includes a caustic solution. The combined stream is passed to a tank where the caustic reacts with HPOZD to convert it to DIPA and CO2. The conversion of HPOZD to DIPA and CO2 requires a ratio of at least 2 moles of hydroxide for each mole of HPOZD in the solution. The conversion reaction is carried out in a reaction vessel at a temperature above 60° C. The reaction mixture is held in a feed tank for approximately 2 hours while being constantly mixed. After the reaction is completed, the mixture is allowed to settle which results in the virtually complete separation of the amine phase (containing DIPA, and water) from the caustic phase.

Abstract: Spent caustic and other wastewater streams are pretreated by continuous chemical oxidation. According to one aspect, a wastewater stream is pretreated by continuous chemical oxidation in a plug flow reactor. According to another aspect, a catalyst and an oxidizer are fed into a wastewater stream at first and second predetermined points of addition. Compounds in the wastewater stream susceptible to chemical oxidation are reacted with the chemical oxidizer. A modular, optionally fully automated apparatus is provided for pretreating spent caustic and other wastewater streams.

Abstract: There is provided a process for removing hydrocarbons from hydrophilic solutions in which the adsorbent is regenerated in situ. A solution containing at least one hydrocarbon impurity is passed through a resin bed and the hydrocarbon is retained by the resin. The solution passes from the resin bed substantially reduced of hydrocarbons. The filtration bed containing the resin is regenerated in situ by passing a second liquid therethrough such that the hydrocarbon is removed in the second liquid stream and the resin is available for reuse.

Abstract: There is provided a process for treating a process gas or liquid to remove acid gases which includes treating a relatively lean amine gas scrubbing solution to further reduce the acid gas content of at least a portion of that lean amine gas scrubbing solution such that it becomes an ultra-lean amine solution (one substantially free of acid gas) and the beneficial use of the ultra-lean amine solution to obtain further reductions in the acid gas contents of specific gas or liquid process streams not possible with lean amine solutions having higher residual acid gas loadings. In another aspect of this invention there is provided a process for producing the ultra-lean amine.