Process for production of hydrogen peroxide

Claim 1

IN THE PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE FROM AN ALKYL ANTHRAQUINONE BY REDUCTION OF THE ANTHRAQUINONE IN SOLUTION WITH HYDROGEN IN THE PRESENCE OF A REDUCTION CATALYST FOLLOWED BY OXIDATION OF THE REDUCED SOLUTION, THE METHOD OF RECOVERING HYDROGEN PEROXIDE FROM THE OXIDIZED SOLUTION AND CONCENTRATING IT WHICH COMPRISES SUBJECTING THE OXIDIZED SOLUTION TO DISTILLATION IN A TOWER IN THE PRESSENCE OF STRIPPING STEAM AT A TOP TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 70* TO 105*C. UNDER A REDUCED PRESSURE WITHIN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 5 TO 65 MM. OF MERCURY SUCH THAT SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE PEROXIDE AND WATER IS VAPORIZED FROM THE DISTILLATION SYSTEM AND THE BULK OF THE ORGANIC SOLUTION IS SEPARATED FROM THE DISTILLATION SYSTEM AS A LIQUID FRACTION FOR RECYCLE, SUBJECTING AQUEOUS PEROXIDE RECOVERED FROM THE FIRST DISTILLATION TO REDISTILLATION AT REDUCED PRESSURE AND AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE BOILING WATER OVERHEAD, RECOVERING THE WATER OVERHEAD FRACTION AND RETURNING IT AS STRIPPING STEAM TO THE FIRST DISTILLATION, AND RECOVERING A CONCENTRATED HYDROGEN PEROXIDE PRODUCT AS A HIGHER BOILING FRACTION IN THE REDISTILLATION OPERATION.