Cargill Inc.

Imi Tami Institute for Research and Development Ltd.

Imc Fertilizer, Inc.

Clue As

Csm Nv

Joseph Mizrahi

Betty Hazan

Aharon Eyal

Rod R Fisher

Jeffrey John Kolstad

Brenda F Stewart

Avraham M Baniel

Avraham Baniel

John N Starr

Eli Barnea

Canari Riki

Abraham M Baniel

The present disclosure provides a process for preparing a purified lactic acid solution suitable for use in connection with a source of lactate material a pH within the range of 0.8 to 9.0. The process includes the steps of providing a source of lactate material which includes a calcium salt; acidulating the concentrated broth with sulfuric acid to form an acidulated solution which includes lactic acid and calcium sulfate; reducing an amount of calcium sulfate from the acidulated solution; extracting the acidulated solution with an amine extractant to form a loaded solvent; and back extracting the loaded solvent with an aqueous solvent to provide a purified solution of lactic acid. Optionally, the source of lactate material can be concentrated prior to the step of acidulating. Alternately, the amine extractant can include sulfate anion. The sulfuric anion in the amine extractant can be residual sulfuric acid from the acidulation step. Alternately, the sulfuric acid in the amine extractant can be added during the extraction step, for example, as sulfuric acid.

Process for producing a purified lactic acid solution

The invention relates to a novel and most efficient scrubber for the treatment of flue gases from power generation plants or from chemical plants, in order to absorb objectionable impurities, such as SO , SO , HCl, nitrous oxides, into a water-based solution, in which solids are not substantially precipitated. The novel scrubber comprises: a horizontal chamber, with a basis rectangular vertical cross section, divided along the horizontal axis into a number of compartments by vertically-draining demisters covering the whole vertical cross section; a shallow liquid-collecting sump in each compartment, which can be sloped in any convenient direction; a pump which distributes the liquid from each such sump, at a controlled flow-rate to a series of spray nozzles in the same compartment, generating 3-5 vertical &ldquo;falling curtains&rdquo; perpendicularly to the gas flow and covering the whole vertical cross section, while the liquid drops fall back into the sump.

Scrubber for the treatment of flue gases

A process for the production and isolation of lactic acid is provided. A lactate feed solution, preferably obtained from a fermentation broth is combined with and extracted by a water-immiscible base in the presence of an acidifying agent. Lactic acid is recovered from the resulting organic phase. Recovered carbonate or bicarbonate from the aqueous phase can be recycled to the fermentor and regenerated extractant can be recycled for use in the extraction.

Lactic acid production, separation and/or recovery process

A process for the production of lactic acid and for the separation and/or recovery of lactic acid from a lactate feed solution. A lactate feed solution preferably obtained from a fermentation broth is combined with and extracted by a water immiscible trialkyl amine in the presence of carbon dioxide. Lactic acid is recovered from the resulting organic phase. Recovered carbonate or bicarbonate from the aqueous phase is preferably recycled to the fermentor and regenerated extractant is preferably recycled for use in the extraction.

Process for isolating lactic acid

A method of recovering HF from an aqueous solution containing NH.sub.4 F and HF is provided. The solution is contacted with a water-immiscible, amine-containing extractant which extracts HF in preference to NH.sub.4 F. The HF:NH.sub.4 F molar ratio of the solution, the amine, the concentration of the amine in the extractant and the contact temperature are selected so as to form an HF-loaded organic liquid phase having an HF:amine molar ratio of at least about 1.2. The extractant is preferably selected from amines, amine-HF complexes, quaternary amine fluorides and mixtures thereof with inert organic diluents. After equilibration, the HF-loaded amine is separated from the solution and HF is stripped therefrom in an amount sufficient to lower the HF:amine molar ratio by at least about 0.2.

Recovery of hydrogen fluoride from an aqueous solution containing

A liquid-liquid mixer wherein each impeller is associated with one recirculation chamber or two such chambers, having substantially the same diameter as the impeller. Each such recirculation chamber has the effect of increasing significantly the number of dispersion-recoalescence cycles for a given residence time and in consequence it is possible to employ an impeller of a selectively large diameter -- 50-90% of the diameter of the vessel portion in which it is located -- and to operate at relatively low speeds of revolution.

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Haifa, Israel

Joseph Mizrahi