Abstract: A method of recovering an alcohol from an aqueous stream comprising: providing an aqueous stream comprising water and an alcohol; providing a solvent stream; combining the aqueous stream and the solvent stream; and recovering at least a portion of the alcohol by liquid-liquid extraction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the recovery of 1,4-butanediol and at least one co-product selected from ?-butyrolactone, n-butanol and tetrahydrofuran from an aqueous stream, said process comprising the steps of providing the aqueous stream, providing a first solvent stream, combining said aqueous stream with said first solvent stream and recovering at least a portion of the 1,4-butanediol and at least a portion of at least one of the co-products by liquid-liquid extraction.

Abstract: A method of recovering an alcohol from an aqueous stream comprising: providing an aqueous stream comprising an alcohol; extracting at least a portion of the alcohol from the aqueous stream with a solvent to form an extracted solvent stream; extracting at least a portion of the solvent from the extracted solvent stream to form an extracted aqueous stream; and recovering at least a portion of the alcohol from the extracted aqueous stream.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the recovery of an alkylene glycol from an aqueous stream comprising the alkylene glycol and the corresponding dialkylene glycol, said process comprising the steps of providing the aqueous stream comprising the alkylene glycol and the corresponding dialkylene glycol, providing a first solvent stream, combining said aqueous stream comprising the alkylene glycol and the corresponding dialkylene glycol with said first solvent stream and recovering at least a portion of the alkylene glycol by liquid-liquid extraction, wherein said solvent comprises an amine.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the recovery of a first alcohol from a stream comprising two or more alcohols, said process comprising the steps of providing a stream comprising two or more alcohols, providing a solvent stream, combining said stream comprising two or more alcohols with said solvent stream in the presence of water and recovering at least a portion of the first alcohol by liquid-liquid extraction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for the recovery of 1,4-butanediol and at least one co-product selected from ?-butyrolactone, n-butanol and tetrahydrofuran from an aqueous stream, said process comprising the steps of providing the aqueous stream, providing a first solvent stream, combining said aqueous stream with said first solvent stream and recovering at least a portion of the 1,4-butanediol and at least a portion of at least one of the co-products by liquid-liquid extraction.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the recovery of an alkylene glycol from an aqueous stream comprising the alkylene glycol and the corresponding dialkylene glycol, said process comprising the steps of providing the aqueous stream comprising the alkylene glycol and the corresponding dialkylene glycol, providing a first solvent stream, combining said aqueous stream comprising the alkylene glycol and the corresponding dialkylene glycol with said first solvent stream and recovering at least a portion of the alkylene glycol by liquid-liquid extraction, wherein said solvent comprises an amine.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the recovery of 1,4-butanediol from an aqueous stream, said process comprising the steps of providing the aqueous stream, providing a first solvent stream, combining said aqueous stream with said first solvent stream and recovering at least a portion of the 1,4-butanediol by liquid-liquid extraction.

Abstract: A method of recovering an alcohol from an aqueous stream comprising: providing an aqueous stream comprising water and an alcohol; providing a solvent stream; combining the aqueous stream and the solvent stream; and recovering at least a portion of the alcohol by liquid-liquid extraction.

Abstract: The invention is a method for controlling foaming in a process, the method comprising the steps of: (a) withdrawing process liquid from the process and generating gas bubbles in the process liquid by contacting the process liquid with bubble gas; (b) measuring individual lifetimes of the gas bubbles to obtain bubble lifetime data; (c) using the bubble lifetime data to predict the foam-forming tendency of the process liquid; (d) if the bubble lifetime data indicate that excess foaming will occur, adjusting the process to prevent excess foaming.