Patent ID: 8128787
Filing Date: 2012-03-06
Classification: B01D,C07C,Y02E,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A process for recovering an organic solvent from a solvent and water mixture, comprising: (a) subjecting at least a first portion of the mixture to a first distillation step, carried out by passing a first feed stream of the mixture, at a first pressure, into a first column having a first reboiler system, to produce a solvent-enriched, first overhead vapor stream and a first bottoms stream, wherein the first bottoms stream consists essentially of water; (b) condensing the first overhead vapor stream to form a condensed overhead stream; (c) pumping at least a portion of the condensed overhead stream to a second distillation step, carried out under a second pressure that is higher than the first pressure in a second column having a second reboiler system and a reflux condenser system, to produce a solvent-enriched, second overhead vapor stream and a second bottoms stream; (d) performing a membrane separation step, comprising: (e) recovering heat by: (f) recirculating the permeate stream within the process.