Patent ID: 6550274
Filing Date: 2003-04-22
Classification: B01D,F25J

Abstract:
A process for the separation of a multi-component mixture containing at least three major constituent components of different relative volatilities into product streams that are enriched in one of the major constituent components by distillation in a distillation column system comprising:(a) initially charging the multi-component mixture containing at least three major components to at least one suitable location in the distillation column system having at least three distillation zones, wherein one of the distillation zones is in fluid communication with the vapor and liquid flows of the at least two other distillation zones; (b) distilling the multi-component mixture within the at least three distillation zones such that distillation is conducted for at least a period of time without any addition of the multi-component mixture to the distillation column system; (c) collecting a light product stream enriched in the light component from the top of one distillation zone; (d) collecting a heavy product stream enriched in the heavy component from the bottom of a different distillation zone from step (c); and (e) collecting an intermediate volatility stream enriched in the medium component from a third distillation zone which is different from the distillation zones of steps (c) and (d).