Patent ID: 8114255
Filing Date: 2012-02-14
Classification: C07C,C12P,Y02E,Y10S

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