Abstract: A process for purifying 1,2-butylene oxide which comprises extractive distillation of crude butylene oxide with an added solvent comprising an acyclic, paraffinic hydrocarbon having from 7 to 9 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The invention provides a means for reducing the energy consumed by thermally activated separation processes such as fractional distillation. This is done by recovering at least part of the reject heat from such processes and upgrading it for recycle back to input heat. The upgrading is accomplished by another low temperature source of heat which may also be the separation process reject heat. A simple and reliable heat pump using the reverse absorption principle is incorporated in the separation process to accomplish this upgrading.

Abstract: A method of recovering or extracting chemicals, such as furfural, formic acid, acetic acid and other organic compounds from acidic hydrolysates of plants or vegetable matter, especially spent sulfite liquors after conversion of the pentosans into pentoses and then into furfural by heating the hydrolysate in an acidic environment. The conversion of the pentosans pentoses into furfural, preferably with acidulation, is accomplished in a counterflow or countercurrent flow heat exchanger and a reactor, preferably a tubular reactor. The hydrolysate which has additionally been heated and converted in the reactor is used as a heating medium or heat carrier for heating up the hydrolysate which is converted in the counterflow heat exchanger, whereupon there is recovered as the distillate furfural in conjunction with the formic acid, acetic acid and the like.

Abstract: In a process for producing butadiene or isoprene having a high purity comprising a step of treating a C.sub.4 or C.sub.

Abstract: A vapor-liquid extractive distillation process utilizing a dialkyl sulfone containing 4 to 8 carbon atoms per molecule and at least one percent water as the solvent. The process according to this invention is of particular applicability in separating aromatics from nonaromatics in a BTX stream. The solvent system operates particularly well with relatively large amounts of water.

Abstract: A novel composition, and extraction process for the dehydration of a hydrated aliphatic, monohydric alcohol to produce a fuel grade alcohol. A select group of alkali-metal and alkaline-earth metal salts are added to and dissolved within a low volatility polyhydric alcohol to form a solution, or solvent extractant, and said solvent extractant contacted and dissolved within said aliphatic, monohydric hydrated alcohol, the solvent extractant distilled, condensed, and a dehydrated fuel grade aliphatic monohydric fuel grade alcohol recovered.

Abstract: Alcohol substantially free of water is produced by a process comprising extracting an aqueous alcohol solution with an organic solvent system containing an extractant for said alcohol thereby forming an organic solvent-alcohol phase and an aqueous phase, and vacuum distilling said organic solvent-alcohol phase thereby obtaining the product alcohol substantially free of water.

Abstract: A method of purifying waste water, for example waste water from a coking plant, comprises supplying waste water to be purified to the upper part of a stripping column comprising a plurality of substantially horizontal plates disposed above one another, supplying vapor to the lower part of the column, and supplying a strong base to the column laterally at one or more levels, wherein the water to be stripped is passed downwardly from the top of the column across a number of successive plates sufficient to permit the pH of the water to decrease to a value below 7, and wherein the base is supplied at a level or levels lower than that at which the pH has decreased to the above value.

Abstract: Crude aminomethanols are converted to salt form by the addition of a strong acid and subsequently distilled under vacuum. The resulting purified aminomethanol is essentially free of unreacted aldehydes and other volatile impurities.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for purifying (deodorizing and/or deacidifying) high-boiling, heat-sensitive organic liquids, the method including passing the impure organic liquid in counter-current flow to a carrier vapor of low molecular weight (steam) while the organic liquid is in the form of thin films falling through a multiplicity of parallel, vertically-oriented tubular flow channels, the inside diameters of the flow channels being between 34 and 72 mm, their lengths being between 6 and 16 meters, a heating medium also being present in association with the flow channels, the flow rates and temperatures of the various fluids being controlled to reduce the consumption of carrier vapor and provide a short thermal stress time for the organic liquid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process whereby by-product isophthalic acid is easily removed from terephthalic acid. The process thus provides a terephthalic acid product of improved purity. The process involves cooling at least a portion of a hot acetic acid production stream from which precipitated terephthalic acid has been removed so as to precipitate at least a portion of the isophthalic acid dissolved therein. The precipitated isophthalic acid is then removed and the production stream is recycled to a reactor from the production of terephthalic acid. The total production stream is thereby rendered unsaturated in isophthalic acid. Following the reaction in the terephthalic acid reactor, pure terephthalic acid in the substantial absence of isophthalic acid is recovered from the production stream as a precipitate. In a preferred embodiment, the cooling step involves cooling about 15 to 75%, and, at times, perhaps up to 100%, of the total hot acetic acid production stream to a temperature below about 50.

Abstract: An apparatus for the distillation of vaporizable liquids, for example alcohol, solvents used for the degreasing of metal and the like, comprises a distillation chamber, a heating unit in the region of the bottom of the distillation chamber, a cooling and condensation unit at an upper portion of the distillation chamber and a cold-generating unit. According to the invention, the cold-generating unit is formed as a heat pump with a circulating refrigerant and has a compressor, a cold branch and a hot branch. The cold branch is connected to the cooling and condensation unit of the distillation chamber while the hot branch transfers heat via a heat exchanger to a heat storage device, e.g. a utility water reservoir from which hot water is drawn to heat the heating unit of the distillation chamber.

Abstract: Volatile reactants are heated under reflux in a reactor and form volatile reaction by-products which are continuously removed in a vapor effluent from a reflux column and partial condenser. The effluent, which entrains some of the reactants, is condensed in a first total condenser and is fed to a distillation apparatus for separation of the volatile reactants and by-products and return of the separated reactants to the reactor. Before the condensate reaches the distillation apparatus, it is temporarily stored in a receiver from which it is controllably fed to a pre-heater where it is evaporated and then fed as a vapor to the distillation column of the distillation apparatus for separation. The distillation column includes at one end a reboiler which retains the reactants. The other end of the distillation column is coupled to a second total condenser in which the volatile by-products are condensed and withdrawn through a cooler for disposal.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improvement in methods for preparing and processing ethylenically unsaturated aromatic monomer. The improvement comprises employing 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid as a process inhibitor. The DNSA is present in a concentration of about 50 to 3000 ppm, preferably about 250 to 2000 ppm, and most preferably about 500 to 1000 ppm.

Abstract: A method of separating acids or bases from vapors which are conveyed along with distillation vapors during concentration of a solution, comprising, passing said distillation vapors containing an acid or base, while being maintained at their existing pressure and temperature, through a salt solution which boils at said temperature and pressure, wherein, if an acid is to be removed from the distillation vapors, the salt solution contains a salt having an anion corresponding to that of the acid while being supplied with a base in an amount required to neutralize the acid, the cation of the base proportion corresponding to that of the salt, while, if a base is to be removed from the distillation vapors, the salt solution contains a salt having a cation corresponding to that of the base while being supplied with an acid in an amount required to neutralize the base in the distillation vapors, the anion of the acid corresponding to that of the salt so that salts are formed during neutralization which correspond to t

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inhibiting polymerization of vinylaromatic compounds during distillative purification wherein downcomers and tray bottoms of the distillation column exposed to high concentrations of liquid monomer condensate and low vapor velocities are coated with a non-wetting fluorocarbon polymer.

Abstract: Ethyl acetate cannot be completely removed from ethanol and water mixtures by distillation because of the presence of the minimum ternary azeotrope. Ethyl acetate can be readily removed from mixtures containing it, ethanol and water by using extractive distillation in which the extractive distillation agent is a higher boiling oxygenated of nitrogenous organic compound or a mixture of these. Typical examples of effective agents are: dimethylsulfoxide, glycerine and diethylene glycol, 1-naphthol, hydroquinone and N,N-dimethylformamide.

Abstract: A process for removing water from butylene oxides which comprises liquid extraction of crude butylene oxides with a solvent comprising acyclic, paraffinic hydrocarbons having from 7 to 9 carbon atoms per molecule.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for obtaining m-methylstyrene from a mixture with p-methylstyrene that comprises hydrogenating a mixture of p-methylstyrene and m-methylstyrene in the presence of a zeolite having a Constraint Index of about 1 to about 12, a silica to alumina mole ratio of at least about 12, and a dried crystal density of not less than about 1.6 grams per cubic centimeter, modified with at least one element of Group IA, IIA, IVB, or VB of the Periodic Chart of the Elements and a metal of Group VIII of the Periodic Chart of the Elements; thereby obtaining a mixture of m-methylstyrene and p-ethyltoluene, and removing p-ethyltoluene by distillation.

Abstract: In a fractional distillation process in which a heating fluid and waste heat stream are utilized to supply heat to a fractional distillation column and in which the heat supplied from the waste heat stream is not controllable, control of the liquid level in the fractional distillation column is accomplished by manipulating the flow rate of the heating fluid so as to maintain a desired liquid level until such time as the flow rate of the heating fluid becomes zero at which time the flow rate of the external reflux to the fractional distillation column is manipulated to maintain a desired liquid level in the fractional distillation column. A switching of control of the liquid level provides a means by which an uncontrollable heat input may be provided to the fractional distillation column without losing control of the liquid level in the fractional distillation column.