Methods may include obtaining ketones and glycols from a fermentation process, the method including: collecting an off-gas and/or a fermented broth from the fermenter, wherein the off-gas comprises a ketone, and wherein the fermented broth comprises one or more of glycol or ketone; and performing at least one of: transferring the off-gas from the fermenter to a ketone recuperation module; or transferring the fermented broth to a fluid separating module; and isolating one or more of: the ketone from the off-gas; and the glycol from the fermented broth.

The invention relates to a column for carrying out thermal separations and/or chemical reactions, including a vertical cylindrical column outer wall that surrounds an inner chamber divided by at least one vertical separating wall into chambers, wherein the separating wall has at least two vertical separating wall elements that are arranged one above the other in the same plane, adjoin one another edge to edge, and are interconnected by at least one screw connection.

Provided herein are systems, and methods of using such systems, for producing superabsorbent polymers from ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide. The production systems have various unit operations, including, for example, a (-propiolactone production system configured to produce (-propiolactone from ethylene oxide and carbon monoxide and a superabsorbent polymer production system configured to produce superabsorbent polymers from (-propio lactone and/or acrylic acid.

A method for removing contaminants from a process stream that includes the use of reticulated material to filter the process stream. The reticulated material also facilitate process stream flow distribution in process units. The reticulated material can be packed with a void space between a substantial number of the reticulated material that can be varied to enhance filtration and flow distribution. The method of filtering also provides a method of removing contaminants leaving process equipment. The methods can be used on a variety of process streams and process equipment. The reticulated material can include ceramics, metallic materials, and chemical vapor deposition elements. The reticulated material can be of various shapes and sizes, and can also be catalytically active.

A process for the isolation of levulinic acid obtained by acid catalyzed hydrolysis of a C6-carbohydrate-containing feedstock, including the following steps: a) providing a solution 1 comprising at least 5 wt. % of levulinic acid, at least 0.1 wt. % of formic acid and at most 94.9 wt. % of solvent, relative to the total weight of solution 1, b) feeding solution 1 to a first evaporation step to treat solution 1 and to obtain solution 2, comprising at least 25 wt. % of levulinic acid, less than 20 wt. % of solvent and at least 1 wt. % of formic acid, relative to the total weight of solution 2, c) feeding solution 2 to a second evaporation step to treat solution 2 and to obtain solution 3, comprising at least 30 wt. % of levulinic acid and less than 1.0 wt. % of formic acid, relative to the total weight of solution 3, d) feeding solution 3 to a third evaporation step to treat solution 3 and to obtain levulinic acid with a purity of at least 90 wt. % and containing less than 1000 wppm angelica lactone.

The present invention relates to a solvent recovery apparatus and a solvent recovery method, and the solvent recovery apparatus and method according to the present application can reduce the used amount of steam in a synthetic rubber production process, and can reduce the used amount of energy by recovering the waste heat discarded through a condenser.

Process for producing para-xylene are described. The processes utilize a dual raffinate approach. Two raffinate streams from the adsorption separation unit are fed to the raffinate distillation column independently to take advantage of the differing desorbent concentrations in the two raffinate streams. The process yields significant reboiler duty savings and a reduction in overall fired fuel needed.

The present invention relates to a system and method for desulfurization and denitrification integrated treatment and recycling of flue gas by using red mud, and belongs to the recycling and environmental protection technology field. The system includes a desulfurization spray tower, an ozone generator, a denitration spray tower, a slurry mixing tank, a slurry storage tank, a vacuum filter, an ammonia water neutralization tank, an aluminum hydroxide precipitation tank, an ammonia water tank, an aluminum hydroxide storage tank, a filter press, an ammonia distillation tower, a dephlegmator, a cooler, a concentrated ammonia water storage tank, a gypsum precipitation tank, and an anaerobic biochemical pool. In the present invention, red mud slurry is used for desulfurization and denitrification treatment of flue gas to remove SO.sub.2 and NO in the flue gas, so that SO.sub.2 and NO in the flue gas reach an emission standard.

The present invention relates to a method for treating a waste water stream. Said waste water comprises hydrocarbons and oxygenates such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and has a COD of up to 5 wt %. The invention relates to a distillation column for treating a waste water stream and a system for treating a waste water stream.

Provided are urea manufacturing method and apparatus, which can increase the conversion ratio into urea and to reduce the consumption of steam. The temperature of the reactor is increased by introducing the entire amount of raw material ammonia and introducing a portion of the decomposed gas from the stripper into the reactor. The raw material ammonia is preferably heated using the steam condensate generated in the purification step, and/or the steam generated by the heat of condensation of the decomposed gas and the unreacted substances in the condensation step. The heating temperature is preferably between 70 and 140 C.