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US5169533A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for recovering organic components from liquid streams

Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research Inc
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Filing: 1991-06-21
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Granted: 1992-12-08
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Expires: 2011-06-21
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Abstract

Abstract A separation process for recovering organic components from liquid streams. The process is a combination of pervaporation and decantation. In cases where the liquid stream contains the organic to be separated in dissolved form, the pervaporation step is used to concentrate the organic to a point above the solubility limit, so that a two-phase permeate is formed and then decanted. In cases where the liquid stream is a two-phase mixture, the decantation step is performed first, to remove the organic product phase, and the residue from the decanter is then treated by pervaporation. Embodiments using two decanters, particularly suited to handling feed streams containing multiple organic compounds of different properties, are included.

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard W. Baker
  • 👤 Johannes G. Wijmans

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 18:24
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D61/00; B01D61/36; B01D61/362; B01D17/00; B01D17/02; B01D17/0208; B01D17/08; B01D17/085; C; C02; C02F; C02F1/00; C02F1/44; C02F1/448

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim 200 words
A process for separating a feed liquid, said feed liquid comprising three components, a first organic compound having a solubility in water at 20° C. less than 5%, a second organic compound and water, said process comprising: a) decanting said feed liquid in a first decanter to produce a first liquid enriched in said first organic compound compared with said liquid and a second liquid depleted in said first organic compound compared with said liquid; b) performing a pervaporation step, said step comprising: i) providing a membrane unit having a feed side and a permeate side; ii) contacting said feed side with said second liquid; iii) withdrawing from said permeate side a permeate vapor enriched in said first organic compound compared with said second liquid; iv) withdrawing from said feed side a non-permeating portion of said second liquid; c) condensing said permeate vapor to form a permeate liquid; d) decanting said permeate liquid in a second decanter to produce a third liquid enriched in said first organic compound compared with said permeate liquid and a fourth liquid depleted in said first organic compound with said permeate liquid; e) passing said fourth liquid to the feed side of said membrane unit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 200 words
A process for separating a feed liquid, said feed liquid comprising three components, a first organic compound having a solubility in water at 20° C. less than 5%, a second organic compound and water, said process comprising: a) decanting said feed liquid in a first decanter to produce a first liquid enriched in said first organic compound compared with said liquid and a second liquid depleted in said first organic compound compared with said liquid; b) performing a pervaporation step, said step comprising: i) providing a membrane unit having a feed side and a permeate side; ii) contacting said feed side with said second liquid; iii) withdrawing from said permeate side a permeate vapor enriched in said first organic compound compared with said second liquid; iv) withdrawing from said feed side a non-permeating portion of said second liquid; c) condensing said permeate vapor to form a permeate liquid; d) decanting said permeate liquid in a second decanter to produce a third liquid enriched in said first organic compound compared with said permeate liquid and a fourth liquid depleted in said first organic compound with said permeate liquid; e) passing said fourth liquid to the feed side of said membrane unit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is chosen from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, chloroform, methylene chloride, tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is benzene.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is toluene.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is ethylbenzene.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is 1,1,1-trichloroethane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is chloroform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 13 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is methylene chloride.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is tetrachloroethylene.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is trichloroethylene.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 14 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is a halogenated hydrocarbon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 14 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound is an aromatic hydrocarbon.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 33 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is chosen from the group consisting of acetone, ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol, isopropanol, butanol, phenol, methyl ethyl ketone, furfural, tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile and dioxane.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is acetone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 13 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is ethyl acetate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 13 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is an alcohol.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is ethanol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is phenol.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 14 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is methyl ethyl ketone.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is furfural.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is tetrahydrofuran.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is acetonitrile.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 12 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is dioxane.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 21 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound has a solubility in water at 20° C. less than 2%.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 21 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said first organic compound has a solubility in water at 20° C. less than 1%.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 21 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound has a solubility in water at 20° C. greater than 2%.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 21 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound has a solubility in water at 20° C. greater than 5%.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 21 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound has a solubility in water at 20° C. greater than 10%.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 15 words
The process of claim 1, wherein said second organic compound is freely miscible with water.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 24 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the solubility of said first and second organic compounds in water is at least 5.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 24 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the solubility of said first and second organic compounds in water is at least 10.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 24 words
The process of claim 1, wherein the ratio of the solubility of said first and second organic compounds in water is at least 20.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 63 words
The process of claim 1, wherein element d) comprises: d) combining said first liquid and said permeate liquid to form a combined liquid and decanting said combined liquid in a second decanter to produce a third liquid enriched in said first organic compound compared with said combined liquid and a fourth liquid depleted in said first organic compound compared with said combined liquid.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4806245A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-12-08 1996-06-08 1996-12-08 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-12-08 2000-06-08 2000-12-08 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-12-08 2004-06-08 2004-12-08 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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