Disclosed herein are systems and methods of depolymerizing a lignin component of a lignin-containing material. The method comprising contacting the lignin-containing material with a solvent and optionally a catalyst at a temperature in the range of 180-300° C. and at a maximum operating pressure of less than 10 barG during the depolymerization of the lignin component of the material and collecting at least one volatile stream comprising one or more depolymerized lignin products. In an embodiment, the step of contacting is carried out in a reactive distillation reactor, and the step of collecting comprises concurrently collecting at least one volatile stream via distillation apparatus connected to the reactive distillation reactor, at least one of the one or more depolymerized lignin products comprises a substituted phenol having the following general formula: (I) wherein R.sub.1 is H, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, propenyl, or allyl, and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are independently selected from H or methoxy group.

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A process produces sodium and/or potassium alkoxides in countercurrent by reactive rectification. Alcohol is reacted in countercurrent with the respective alkali metal hydroxide. The vapours containing alcohol and water are separated into at least two serially arranged rectification columns. The energy of the vapour obtained in the first rectification is utilized for operating the second rectification. This specific energy integration coupled with establishing a certain pressure difference in the two rectification stages makes it possible to cover a particularly large proportion of the energy required for the rectification through electricity and to save heating steam.

A process increases the concentration of normal paraffins in a feed stream comprising separating a naphtha feed stream into a normal paraffin rich stream and a non-normal paraffin rich stream. A naphtha feed stream may be separated into a normal paraffin stream and a non-normal paraffin stream. An isomerization feed stream may be taken from the non-normal paraffin stream and isomerized over an isomerization catalyst to convert non-normal paraffins to normal paraffins and produce an isomerization effluent stream. The isomerization effluent stream may be separated into a propane stream and a C4+ hydrocarbon stream optionally in a single column. The C4+ hydrocarbon stream may be recycled to the step of separating a naphtha feed stream.

A process produces sodium and/or potassium alkoxides in countercurrent by reactive rectification. Alcohol is reacted in countercurrent with the respective alkali metal hydroxide. The vapours containing alcohol and water are separated into at least two serially arranged rectification columns. The energy of the vapour obtained in the first rectification is utilized for operating the second rectification. This specific energy integration coupled with establishing a certain pressure difference in the two rectification stages makes it possible to cover a particularly large proportion of the energy required for the rectification through electricity and to save heating steam.

A process for supplying deaerated water to a chemical plant that includes a distillation column for separating a reaction effluent comprising water and a product. The process includes inventorying the distillation column with aerated water (water having an oxygen content of greater than 50 ppbw, such as greater than 1 ppmw). The aerated water in the distillation column may then be distilled to produce an oxygen-containing overheads and a bottoms fraction comprising deaerated water. The deaerated water in the bottoms fraction ma be transported to an upstream or a downstream unit operation, and utilizing the deaerated water in the upstream or downstream unit operation. The reaction effluent is fed to the distillation column, transitioning the distillation column from separating oxygen from water to operations for separating the product from the water.

A process for the purification of isobutene from a C4 stream with at least 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutane and isobutene includes isomerizing 1-butene from a stream of material which is concentrated in isobutane and isobutene obtained from the C4 stream into 2-butene, using a catalyst in an isomerization reactor; supplying a product stream from the isomerization reactor to a rectification column; and providing a stream of material which is concentrated in isobutene. A processing facility is utilized for the purification of isobutene from the C4 stream.

The selective dimerization of isoolefins, such as isobutene or isopentane, or mixtures thereof, may be conducted in a system including a series of fixed bed reactors and a catalytic distillation reactor. The system may provide for conveyance of the fixed bed reactor effluents, without componential separation, to a downstream reactor. It has been found that a high selectivity to the dimer may be achieved even though intermediate separation of the desired product from unreacted components between reactors is not performed. Further, embodiments provide for use of a divided wall column for recovery of a high purity dimer product, reducing unit piece count and plot size.

A process for the construction of a second chemical plant, which second chemical plant is suitable for the separation of cyclohexanone from a second mixture, which second mixture comprises reaction products from the hydrogenation of phenol, said process comprising: a) providing a first chemical plant, which first chemical plant is suitable for the separation of cyclohexanone from a first mixture, which first mixture comprises reaction products from the oxidation of cyclohexane, and which first plant comprises: i) a distillation column (C) suitable for distilling overhead cyclohexane; ii) a distillation column suitable for distilling overhead cyclohexanone; iii) a cyclohexane oxidation unit (A) suitable for the oxidation of cyclohexane; and iv) a heat recovery unit (B) suitable for the recovery of heat from off-gas from the cyclohexane oxidation unit suitable for the oxidation of cyclohexane; b) disabling in said first chemical plant, said distillation column (C) suitable for distilling overhead cyclohexane, said cyclohexane oxidation unit (A) and said heat recovery unit (B), wherein the second chemical plant comprises a distillation column (F) suitable for distilling overhead cyclohexanone reused from the first chemical plant, wherein each of the first chemical plant and the second chemical plant comprise a distillation column (E) suitable for distilling overhead components having a lower boiling point than cyclohexanone; a distillation column (G) suitable for distilling overhead a mixture comprising cyclohexanol and cyclohexanone in a wt.:wt. ratio of at least 4:1; and a cyclohexanol dehydrogenation unit (H) suitable for the dehydrogenation of cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone.

A process for the purification of isobutene from a C4 stream with at least 1-butene, 2-butene, isobutane and isobutene includes isomerizing 1-butene from a stream of material which is concentrated in isobutane and isobutene obtained from the C4 stream into 2-butene, using a catalyst in an isomerization reactor; supplying a product stream from the isomerization reactor to a rectification column; and providing a stream of material which is concentrated in isobutene. A processing facility is utilized for the purification of isobutene from the C4 stream.

Embodiments described herein provide a method, comprising reducing pH of a glycol vaporization separator purge stream to form an acid stream; distilling the acid stream to form an overhead stream and a bottoms stream; and recycling the bottoms stream to the vaporization separator.