Cpc Corporation, Taiwan

Amt International Inc.

Han-Tjen Jan

Fu-Ming Lee

Kuang-Yeu Wu

Tzong-Bin Lin

Jyh-Haur Hwang

Jeng-Cheng Lee

Tsung-Min Chiu

Yu-Ming Wu

Jeffrey Tsung-Min Chiu

Yuan-Fu Sun

Recovering a polar hydrocarbon (HC) selective solvent substantially free of hydrocarbons (HCs) and other impurities from a lean solvent stream containing the selective solvent, measurable amounts of heavy aromatic HCs, and polymeric materials that are generated in an extractive distillation (ED) or liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) process. At least a portion of the lean solvent stream is contact in a solvent clean-up zone with a slip stream from the HC feed stream of the ED or LLE process or an external stream. The HC feed stream, such as pyrolysis gasoline or reformate, contains significant amounts of benzene and at least 50% polar (aromatic) HCs and serves as a displacement agent to remove the heavy HCs and polymeric material from the lean solvent stream. A magnetic filter can be used to remove the paramagnetic contaminants from the lean solvent.

Regeneration of selective solvents for extractive processes

Solvent regeneration to recover a polar hydrocarbon (HC) selective solvent substantially free of hydrocarbons (HCs) and other impurities from a solvent-rich stream containing selective solvent, heavy HCs, and polymeric materials (PMs) generated from reactions among thermally decomposed or oxidized solvent, heavy HCs, and additives is provided. A combination of displacement agent and associated co-displacement agent squeezes out the heavy HCs and PMs from the extractive solvent within a solvent clean-up zone. Simultaneously, a filter equipped with a magnetic field is positioned in a lean solvent circulation line to remove paramagnetic contaminants. The presence of the co-displacement agent significantly enhances the capability of the displacement agent in removing the heavy HCs and PMs from the extractive solvent. As a result, the solvent regeneration system operates under milder conditions and minimizes or eliminates the need for including a high temperature, energy intensive and difficult-to-operate thermal solvent regenerator.

Extraction process with novel solvent regeneration methods

Growing community of inventors

Chia-Yi, Taiwan

Han-Tjen Jan