Abstract: A process for treating a gaseous effluent obtained from a pyrolytic decomposition of one or more polymers, including: a condensation step, in a condensation chamber maintained at a first pressure, of a gaseous effluent placed in contact with an absorbent liquid, the temperature of the absorbent liquid being below the temperature of the gaseous effluent, a step of partial vaporization, by expansion of the condensate in a chamber maintained at a second pressure below the first pressure, a reinjection step which includes at least partly redirecting a first liquid or vapor fraction, obtained on conclusion of the partial vaporization step, to the condensation chamber, and a recovery step including purification of a second liquid or vapor fraction, obtained on conclusion of the partial vaporization step and charged with monomer(s).

Abstract: A process for separating vapors, for example for separating water from ethanol, uses a gas separation membrane unit. Permeate from the membrane unit is compressed and may be used for example as heating steam for distillation. The membrane unit may have two or more stages. Permeate from a stage may be condensed and used for example as fermentation make up water, compressed and fed to the permeate from an upstream stage or heating steam, or fed to another membrane stage for further dewatering. The gas separation membrane unit may be used to remove water from a fermentation broth that has been partially dewatered, for example by one or more of a distillation column or molecular sieve.

Abstract: A process for separating vapours, for example for separating water from ethanol, uses a gas separation membrane unit. Permeate from the membrane unit is compressed and may be used for example as heating steam for distillation. The membrane unit may have two or more stages. Permeate from a stage may be condensed and used for example as fermentation make up water, compressed and fed to the permeate from an upstream stage or heating steam, or fed to another membrane stage for further dewatering. The gas separation membrane unit may be used to remove water from a fermentation broth that has been partially dewatered, for example by one or more of a distillation column or molecular sieve.

Abstract: A horizontal moving bed reactor for heat treating particulate material comprises a housing having an inlet for admitting therein the particulate material to be heat treated and an outlet for discharging the heat treated material, at least one tray disposed horizontally inside the housing between the inlet and outlet and having a support surface for supporting a bed of the particulate material, a heating system for heating the bed of particulate material on the support surface, and a conveyor system for moving the bed of particulate material while being heated along a predetermined direction on the support surface. The conveyor system includes a plurality of horizontally spaced-apart rake members extending across the support surface transversely of the predetermined direction and each having a plurality of spaced-apart fingers in sliding contact with the support surface.