Patent ID: 8129551

Claim:
A process for recovery of alkylene oxide comprising: introducing a feed stream containing alkylene oxide to a stripping section of an alkylene oxide recovery column, wherein the alkylene oxide recovery column comprises the stripping section and a reabsorption region; stripping alkylene oxide from the feed stream to form a first gaseous portion in the stripping section, wherein the first gaseous portion flows from the stripping section to the reabsorption region of the alkylene oxide recovery column, and wherein the reabsorption region further comprises a first reabsorption section and a second reabsorption section; partially condensing the first gaseous portion into a liquid reflux stream and an alkylene oxide rich vapor stream, wherein the liquid reflux stream is in physical communication with the stripping section; reabsorbing a first fraction of the alkylene oxide rich vapor stream in a first water stream to form a first aqueous solution in the first reabsorption section, wherein the first reabsorption section further comprises a first take-off to remove the first aqueous solution from the first reabsorption section; and reabsorbing a second fraction of the alkylene oxide rich vapor stream in a second water stream to form a second aqueous solution in the second reabsorption section, wherein the second reabsorption section further comprises a second take-off to remove the second aqueous solution from the second reabsorption section.