Abstract: The present invention provides a method for treating the wastes of polyester-manufacturing processes. The method of the invention comprises combining the fuel with a first waste byproduct stream to form a combined fuel and first waste byproduct stream mixture that is combusted in a furnace. The present invention also provides certain useful variations of this method in which one or more of the following steps are performed: a second waste byproduct stream is introduced and treated in a regenerative thermal oxidizer, a third waste byproduct stream is introduced and treated in a waste water treatment plant, or a fourth waste byproduct stream is introduced and treated in a fluid bed incinerator. The present invention also provides an apparatus that executes the methods of the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process by which a carboxylic acid/diol mixture is obtained from a carboxylic acid/solvent slurry without isolation of a substantially dry carboxylic acid solid. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process by which a terephthalic acid/ethylene glycol mixture is obtained from a terephthalic acid/solvent slurry without isolation of a substantially dry terephthalic acid solid.