Abstract: A process of manufacturing a polyester from cyclic ester monomer comprises the steps of: a) providing a cyclic ester, b) polymerizing the cyclic ester in the presence of a catalyst and optionally an initiator in a reactor to form a reaction mixture comprising polyester and unreacted cyclic ester, wherein after the polymerization at least one polymerization inhibitor is added to the reaction mixture, wherein the polymerization inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of monoimines, diimines, mono alkyl phosphates according to the formula RPO4H2, wherein R is a C6-16 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl group, di alkyl phosphates according to the formula R2PO4H, wherein each R is independently a C6-16 linear, branched or cyclic alkyl group or a combination thereof, and phosphate esters according to the general formula (I) wherein at least one of R?, R? and R?? has the general structure as in general formula (II) wherein n>0 and Q is independently a C1-16 linear, branched or substituted alkyl group, and R

Abstract: A process to prepare a cyclic polyester oligomer composition having a cyclic polyester oligomer having furanic units, includes the step of reacting a monomer component, for example, 2,5-furan dicarboxylic acid and, for example, ethylene glycol, in a ring closing oligomerization at a reaction temperature and reaction time, for example, at 100° C. to 350° C. for 30 to 600 minutes to obtain a cyclic polyester oligomer having furanic units. The process yields a cyclic polyester oligomer composition which can be used in further ring-opening polymerization reactions to produce a polyester polymer. The cyclic polyester oligomer composition has a cyclic polyester oligomer having furanic units and less than 5% linear oligomeric polyester species in the composition.

Abstract: A system 1 for the purification of an organic solvent, preferably an alcohol, comprising a first distillation column 10, a second distillation column 20, a vapor permeation unit 30 suitable for the dehydration of an organic solvent, wherein the system 1 further comprises a first heat integration sub-system 100 for exploiting both a sensible heat and optionally a latent heat, a second and a third heat integration sub-systems 200 and 300 for exploiting a latent heat, and wherein there is either a parallel configuration of the system 1 with a split feeding into both the first and the second distillation columns 10 and 20, or there is a series configuration of the system 1 in which there is feeding into only the first distillation column 10.

Abstract: A method for the removal of an ester (3?) from a vapor mixture (5?) containing the ester (3?) is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of by bringing the vapor (5) mixture (5?) into contact with an aqueous solution (6?) containing the acid (4?) corresponding to the ester (3?), wherein a portion of the ester (3?) is dissolved in or otherwise transferred to the aqueous solution (6?), and the aqueous solution (6?) is after the contact led in a circulation (73), the aqueous solution (6?) is processed in the circulation (73) in a process comprising: a heating step (240), a (10) reaction step (250) having a residence time and a temperature, a cooling step (260), wherein the heating step (240) precedes the reaction step (250), the reaction step (250) precedes the cooling step (260), and the residence time and the temperature in the reaction step (250) are sufficient to substantially reduce the content of the ester (3?) in the aqueous solution (6?).

Abstract: A process for desalinating water is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of passing a feed stream of saline solution 2? in a first desalination step through a reverse osmosis membrane desalination plant 3? comprising at least one reverse osmosis desalination unit 4? to form a first product water stream 5? having a reduced salt concentration relative to that of the feed stream of saline solution 2? and a first byproduct stream 6? having an increased salt concentration relative to that of the feed stream of saline solution 2? characterized in that the first byproduct stream 6? is passed in a second desalination step through a suspension crystallization unit 7 to form a second product water stream 8 having a reduced salt concentration relative to that of the first byproduct stream 6? and a second byproduct stream 9 having an increased salt concentration relative to that of the first byproduct stream 6?. The invention further relates to an apparatus 1 for carrying out said process.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for cyclone separation of a fluid flow into essentially a gas phase fraction and a liquid phase fraction, by bringing the fluid flow into rotation so that said fluid flow is separated into a central zone essentially containing the gas phase fraction, and an outer annular zone essentially containing the liquid phase fraction, comprising: a housing (2); a swirl element (6) for rotation of the fluid; a gas phase outlet (5); and a liquid phase outlet (4); whereby the gas phase outlet and the liquid phase outlet both connect to a common collecting chamber outside the housing. The invention also relates to a vessel provided with at least one such apparatus.

Abstract: Continuous process of forming aliphatic polyesters The process includes continuously providing cyclic ester monomer and polymerization catalyst to a continuous mixing loop reactor (CMLR) having static mixing elements and operated at a temperature between 100 and 240° C. to form a pre-polymerized reaction mixture. The conversion is between 40 and less than 90 wt. %, wherein the cyclic ester monomer comprises lactide having a free acid content lower than 50 milli-equivalents per kg. The pre-polymerized reaction mixture is continuously provided to a plug flow reactor that is a static mixer reactor having static mixing elements and is operated at a temperature between 110-240° C., wherein the reaction mixture is polymerized to a conversion of at least 90%, to form polymer wherein the flow ratio of the CMLR and the plug flow reactor is between 1.5 an d50. The process includes continuously removing polymer from the plug flow reactor devolitizing the polymer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid) included the steps of a) mixing a cyclic diester of a 2-hydroxyalkanoic acid and a polymerization catalyst, b) polymerizing the cyclic diester to form poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid) in liquid phase, c) adding a phosphoric acid ester as a catalyst deactivating agent to the liquid phase, d) applying a devolatilization step to the liquid phase, and e) allowing the poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid) to solidify. The catalyst deactivating agent is added after the devolatilization step is applied. The method results in an improved melt stability of the manufactured polymer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid), preferably a poly(lactic acid), is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: mixing a cyclic diester of a 2-hydroxyalkanoic acid and a polymerization catalyst, polymerizing the cyclic diester to form poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid) in liquid phase, adding a peroxide-based compound as a catalyst deactivating agent to the liquid phase, applying a devolatilization step to the liquid phase, and allowing the poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid) to solidify, characterized in that an end-capping agent is added to the poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid) in the liquid phase. The present invention also relates to a poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid), preferably a poly(lactic acid), obtainable with said method characterized in that the polymer has a Mn abs ranging between 10000 and 250000 g/mol, preferably between 20000 and 85000 g/mol.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method to prepare a polylactic acid comprising the steps of performing a ring opening polymerization using a catalyst and either a catalyst killer compound or an endcapping additive to obtain a raw polylactic acid of MW greater than 10,000 g/mol, purifying the raw polylactic acid by removing and separating low boiling compounds comprising lactide and impurities from the raw polylactic acid by devolatization of the low boiling compounds as a gas phase stream, and purifying the lactide from the devolatization and removing the impurities from the gas phase stream of evaporated low boiling compounds by means of crystallization by desublimation from the gas phase, wherein the lactide is purified and the removed impurities include a catalyst residue and a compound containing at least one hydroxyl group such that the purified lactide is then polymerized by feeding it back into the ring opening polymerization.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for purifying a crude benzoic acid (32) containing 5 to 20% by weight of byproducts and 80 to 95% by weight of benzoic acid, by means of distillation, wherein the distillation is performed in a plant comprising a first distillation system (54), which comprises a divided wall column (10).

Abstract: A modular sub-unit 1 for the production of crystals in a suspension crystallization system 10 is disclosed comprising: a first crystallization segment 100, at least one further crystallization segment 110, a first mixing segment 200, optional further mixing segments 210, an inlet cap 300, an outlet cap 400, wherein the inlet cap 300 and outlet cap 400 are in fluid communication with any crystallization segments (100, 110) and any mixing segments (200, 210) present within the sub-unit 1; and a central rotating axis 500 for providing mechanical energy to the crystallization segments (100,110) and preferably the mixing segments (200, 210). The crystallization segments present in the sub-unit 1 are separated from each other by means of a mixing segment. The present invention also relates to a suspension crystallization system 10 comprising said sub-unit 1 and a suspension crystallization process making use of said sub-unit 1.

Abstract: A process to purify a compound comprising a suspension crystallization step and additionally comprises a layer crystallization step and a storage step of an intermediate product obtained from the layer crystallization step before to its further purification in the suspension crystallization step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a packing element for a structured packing including at least two adjacent corrugated sheets, wherein each of the corrugated sheets comprises a plurality of alternately oriented peaks and troughs, wherein adjacent corrugated sheets are oriented such that the corrugations of the adjacent corrugated sheets intersect in crisscross fashion with the corrugations of the corrugated sheets extending obliquely relative to the vertical direction, wherein each corrugated sheet contacts each of the adjacent corrugated sheets at points of intersection between the corrugations of the corrugated sheet and those of the adjacent corrugated sheets, wherein all corrugated sheets are tied together by means of at least one rod, wherein the at least one rod penetrates the corrugated sheets perpendicularly to the longitudinal section of the corrugated sheets, wherein on the at least one rod before the first corrugated sheet of the packing element and/or after the last corrugated sheet of the packing

Abstract: A process is disclosed to recycle and/or formulate expandable plastic materials using a system (1) comprising: an extruder unit (10), a mixer-heat exchanger unit (20), said process comprising the steps of: melting in the extruder unit (10), cooling in the mixer-heat exchanger unit (20), and controlling the melt pressure by means of a melt pump unit (50), followed by granulation, extrusion, or injection molding, wherein a first expansion agent (81) is not degassed during a melt processing in the system (1) such that it is substantially contained in the granulated expandable plastic material (130) or used to form either the extruded, formed and expanded plastic material (140) or the molded expanded plastic article (150). The present invention also relates to a granulated expandable plastic material (130), an extruded, formed and expanded plastic material (140), and a molded expanded plastic article (150) obtainable by said process.

Abstract: A sheet forming tool (1) for the manufacture of a corrugated sheet has a lower tool element (40) and an upper tool element (50), each of the upper tool element and the lower tool element having a front side (23, 33, 41) and a rear side (25, 35, 42). The lower tool element (40) comprises a first base element (2, 4, 6, 8) and a first finger element (3, 5, 7, 9) projecting from said first base element (2, 4, 6, 8). The first finger element (3, 5, 7, 9) forms a first ridge (22, 24, 26, 28) for forming a corrugation peak in the sheet. The upper tool element (50) comprises a second base element (12, 14) and a second finger element (13, 15) projecting from said second base element (12, 14), the second finger element (13, 15) forming a second ridge (32, 34) for forming a corrugation trough in said sheet.

Abstract: A static internal (1) embodied so as to be suitable for improving a contact, heat transfer or mass transfer between the liquids in an agitated liquid-liquid contactor (3) lacking calming sections and having an metallic agitated internal (2). The surface energy of the static internal (1) is <40, preferably <30, more preferably <25, most preferably <20 mN/m.

Abstract: A packing element (1) for use in mass and/or heat transfer processes through which at least one liquid may flow, wherein the packing element (1): has an outer surface (2) comprising three or more outer arched rib elements (21) and two outer connecting edge elements (22), optionally has an inner surface (3) comprising optional inner arched rib elements (31), wherein the element 1 is substantially spherical or substantially ellipsoidal, and wherein the outer connecting edge elements (22) and the outer arched rib elements (21) and optional inner arched rib elements (31) are embodied such that the total projected area (4) of the packing element (1) when viewed in any direction (7), preferably a radial direction (5) or optional axial direction (6), is partially open due to the presence of an open projected area (41), wherein it is open to an extent that ranges from about 15 to about 50, preferably about 17 to about 40, more preferably about 18 to about 35, most preferably about 20 to about 30% of the total project

Abstract: A method for manufacturing poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid), preferably a poly(lactic acid), is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: mixing a cyclic diester of a 2-hydroxyalkanoic acid and a polymerization catalyst, polymerizing the cyclic diester to form poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid) in liquid phase, adding a peroxide-based compound as a catalyst deactivating agent to the liquid phase, applying a devolatilisation step to the liquid phase, and allowing the poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid) to solidify, characterized in that an end-capping agent is added to the poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid) in the liquid phase. The present invention also relates to a poly(2-hydroxyalkanoic acid), preferably a poly(lactic acid), obtainable with said method characterized in that the polymer has a Mn abs ranging between 10000 and 250000 g/mol, preferably between 20000 and 85000 g/mol.