Adsorption process with heating in downstream end of adsorption column to selectively remove occluded liquids

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE FRACTIONATION OF A LIQUID MIXTURE OF MATERIALS OF VARYING ADSORBABILITIES WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING SAID LIQUID MIXTURE INTO AN INTERMEDIATE SECTION OF A CONTACTING ZONE; COUNTERCURRENTLY CONTACTING SAID LIQUID MIXTURE IN SAID CONTACTING ZONE WITH A SOLID ADSORBENT MATERIAL WHICH DISPLAYS SELECTIVE ADSORPTIVE PROPERTIES FOR LIQUID MATERIALS AND WHICH IS INTRODUCED INTO SAID ZONE AT A POINT UPSTREAM, WITH RESPECT TO ADSORBENT FLOW, OF THE POINT OF LIQUID MIXTURE INTRODUCTION SO AS TO OBTAIN A SOLID ADSORBENT MATERIAL CONTAINING CERTAIN OF THE MATERIALS OF SAID LIQUID MIXTURE SELECTIVELY ADSORBED THEREON TOGETHER WITH SAID LIQUID MIXTURE OF MATERIALS OCCLUDED THEREON; HEATING THE RESULTING CONTACTED SOLID ADSORBENT MATERIAL WHILE STILL CONTAINING SAID ADSORBED MATERIALS AND SAID OCCULDED LIQUID MIXTURE IN THE DOWNSTREAM END OF SAID CONTACTING ZONE TO A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 5* F. AND 200* F. HIGHER THAN THAT AT WHICH THE CONTACTING INITIALLY TOOK PLACE BUT BELOW THE BOILING POINT OF SAID OCCLUDED MIXTURE SO AS TO DESORB A PORTION OF SAID ADSORBED MATERIALS; AND WITHDRAWING THE RESULTING HEATED SOLID ABSORBENT MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF SAID OCCLUDED LIQUID MIXTURE FROM SAID END OF SAID CONTACTING ZONE; AND WITHDRAWING A LIQUID RAFFINATE PHASE FROM THE OTHER END OF SAID CONTACTING ZONE.