Ketone recovery by steam and alkali contact

Claim 1

PROCESS FOR RECOVERING KETONE FROM MIXTURE OF KETONE, WATER, VOLATILE IMPURITIES AND NON-VOLATILE IMPURITIES, SAID VOLATILE IMPURITIES BEING CAPABLE OF FORMING RESINS IN ALKALI SOLUTION COMPRISING: (1) STEAM-STRIPPING SAID MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE OF ABOUT 100*C., WHEREBY A VAPOROUS ADMIXTURE OF KETONE, WATER AND VOLATILE IMPURITIES IS PRODUCED AS DISTILLATE, AND AQUEOUS ADMIXTURE OF NON-VOLATILE IMPURITIES IS PRODUCED AS BOTTOMS, (2) CONTACTING SAID DISTILLATE WITH COUNTER-FLOWING ALKALI SOLUTION IN A VAPOR-LIQUID CONTACT ZONE, WHEREBY BY SAID VOLATILE IMPURITIES ARE RESINFIED AND ACCUMULATE IN SAID ALKALI SOLUTION, AND SAID VAPOROUS ADMIXTURE OF KETONE AND WATER FORM A SECOND DISTILLATE, (3) CONDENSING SAID SECOND DISTILLATE, WHEREBY CONTIGUOUS LAYERS OF LIQUID WATER AND KETONE ARE FORMED, AND (4) RECYCLING THE WATER LAYER OF STEP (3) TO THE MIXTURE OF STEP (1).