Extractive distillation with salt solutions

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF SEPARATING WATER-MISCIBLE ALIPHATIC ALCOHOLS HAVING 2 TO 6 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE AND WHICH FORM CLOSE-BOILING AQUEOUS AZEOTROPES DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE BY ORDINARY FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION IN HAVING BOILING POINTS WHICH DIFFER BY LESS THAN 5* C., ONE OF SAID ALCOHOLS HAVING A HIGHER MOLECULAR WEIGHT THAN THE OTHER, WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING A FEED MIXTURE OF SAID ALCOHOLS TO A FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION ZONE WHEREIN VAPORS OF SAID ALCOHOLS WITH WATER VAPOR ASCEND COUNTERCURRENTLY TO LIQUID REFLUX OF THE ALCOHOLS, DISSOLVED IN A SUFFICIENTLY HIGHER SALT SOLUTION AT AN UPPER PART OF THE EFFECT VAPORIZATION OF A LARGER PART OF THE HIGHER MOLECULAR WEIGHT ALCOHOL THAN OF THE OTHER ALCOHOL IN SAID REFLUX, CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING AN AQUEOUS SALT SOLUTION AT AN UPPER PART OF THE FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION ZONE TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST 60 MOLE PER CENT WATER IN SAID LIQUID REFLUX AND TO MAINTAIN 1 TO 10 MOLE PER CENT SAID IN THE WATER CONTENT OF THE LIQUID REFLUX, CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING VAPOR OF THE HIGHER MOLECULAR WEIGHT ALCOHOL WITH WATER VAPOR OVERHEAD FROM THE FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION ZONE, AND REMOVING A DILUTE AQUEOUS SALT SOLUTION OF THE OTHER ALCOHOL AS BOTTOMS FROM THE FRACTION DISTILLATION ZONE.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF SEPARATING WATER-MISCIBLE ALIPHATIC ALCOHOLS HAVING 2 TO 6 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE AND WHICH FORM CLOSE-BOILING AQUEOUS AZEOTROPES DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE BY ORDINARY FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION IN HAVING BOILING POINTS WHICH DIFFER BY LESS THAN 5* C., ONE OF SAID ALCOHOLS HAVING A HIGHER MOLECULAR WEIGHT THAN THE OTHER, WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING A FEED MIXTURE OF SAID ALCOHOLS TO A FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION ZONE WHEREIN VAPORS OF SAID ALCOHOLS WITH WATER VAPOR ASCEND COUNTERCURRENTLY TO LIQUID REFLUX OF THE ALCOHOLS, DISSOLVED IN A SUFFICIENTLY HIGHER SALT SOLUTION AT AN UPPER PART OF THE EFFECT VAPORIZATION OF A LARGER PART OF THE HIGHER MOLECULAR WEIGHT ALCOHOL THAN OF THE OTHER ALCOHOL IN SAID REFLUX, CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING AN AQUEOUS SALT SOLUTION AT AN UPPER PART OF THE FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION ZONE TO MAINTAIN AT LEAST 60 MOLE PER CENT WATER IN SAID LIQUID REFLUX AND TO MAINTAIN 1 TO 10 MOLE PER CENT SAID IN THE WATER CONTENT OF THE LIQUID REFLUX, CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING VAPOR OF THE HIGHER MOLECULAR WEIGHT ALCOHOL WITH WATER VAPOR OVERHEAD FROM THE FRACTIONAL DISTILLATION ZONE, AND REMOVING A DILUTE AQUEOUS SALT SOLUTION OF THE OTHER ALCOHOL AS BOTTOMS FROM THE FRACTION DISTILLATION ZONE.