Separation of cumene or cymene from its respective hydroperoxide by distillation

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING THE HYDROPEROXIDE OF AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CUMENE AND CYMENE FROM A MIXTURE OF A MINOR PROPORTION OF SAID HYDROPEROXIDE AND A MAJOR PROPORTION OF ITS CORRESPONDING AROMATIC HYDROCARBON, WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING A LIQUID STREAM OF SAID MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM 190 TO 220* F. AND UNDER A PRESSURE OF LESS THAN 100 MM. INTO A FIRST EQUILIBRIUM FLASHNG ZONE MAINTAINED AT A LOWER PRESSURE FROM 20 TO 80 MM.; WITHDRAWING A VAPOR STREAM RICH IN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID FIRST EQUILIBRIUM FLASHING ZONE AND PASSING IT INTO A FIRST CONDENSATION ZONE: WITHDRAWING A LIQUID STREAM WHICH IS RICHER IN HYDROPEROXIDE THAN THE ORIGINAL FEED MIXTURE FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FIRST EQUILIBRIUM FLASHING ZONE AND PASSING IT TO A FIRST EVAPORATION ZONE MAINTAINED AT A PRESURE APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THAT OF SAID FIRST EQUILIBRIUM FLASHING ZONE AND AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM 190 TO 220* F.; WITHDRAWING A VAPOR STREAM RICH IN ARMOTIC HYDROCARBON FROM SAID FIRST EVAPORATION ZONE AND PASSING IT INTO SAID FIRST CONDENSATION ZONE; WITHDRAWING THE CONDENSATE FROM SAID FIRST CONDENSATION ZONE FROM THE SYSTEM; WITHDRAWING FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FIRST EVAPORATION ZONE A LIQUID STREAM, RICHER IN HYDROPEROXIDE THAN THE LIQUID STREAM PASSED INTO SAID FIRST EVAPORATION ZONE, AND INTRODUCING IT INTO A SECOND EQUILIBRIUM FLASHING ZONE MAINTAINED AT A PRESSURE LOWER THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST EQUILIBRIUM FLASHING ZONE AND IN THE RANGE FROM 5 TO 20 MM.; WITHDRAWING A VAPOR STREAM RICH IN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SECOND EQUILIBRIUM FLASHING ZONE AND PASSING IT INTO A SECOND CONDENSATION ZONE; WITHDRAWING A LIQUID STREAM FURTHER ENRICHED IN HYDROPEROXIDE FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SECOND EQUILIBRIUM FLASHING ZONE AND PASSING IT INTO A SECOND EVAPORATIN ZONE MAINTAINED AT A PRESSURE APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THAT OF SAID SECOND EQUILIBRIUM FLASHING ZONE AND AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE FROM 190 TO 220* F.; WITHDRAWING A VAPOR STREAM FROM THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID SECOND EVAPORATION ZONE AND PASSING IT INTO SAID SECOND CONDENSATION ZONE; RECYCLING THE CONDENSATE FROM SAID SECOND CONDENSATION ZONE TO THE FIRST EQUILIBRIUM FLAHSING ZONE; AND WITHDRAWING A LIQUID, PREDOMINANTLY HYDROPEROXIDE CONCENTRATE FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SECOND EVAPORATION ZONE.