Processes and systems suitable for purifying or otherwise treating liquids to remove contaminants therein, including but not limited to contaminated water, to permit reclaiming, recycling, and reuse of the liquids. Such a process and system entails the use of a cascading distillation system that evaporates a liquid from the feedstock and then condenses and collects a more purified form of the liquid. The cascading distillation system can be operated to selectively process the feedstock through any of a series of vessels at which different amounts and/or contaminants may be removed from the feedstock.

A process for separating or removing permanganate reducing compounds (PRC's) from a first mixture containing at least one PRC, methyl iodide, and water comprises the steps of: feeding the first mixture to a feed port of a distillation column, and distilling and separating the first mixture into an upper stream and a lower stream, wherein the distillation of the first mixture forms a second mixture at an upper position than the feed port, and the process further comprises the steps of: withdrawing the second mixture as the upper stream, and withdrawing the lower stream from a lower position than the feed port.

Processes and systems for controlling operation of a commercial refinery distillation column and/or splitter operable to separate hydrocarbons. An automated process controller (APC) receives signal from at least one analyzer that provides information about the concentration of at least a first chemical in a first fraction and a second chemical in a second fraction obtained from the distillation column. The APC comprises programming in the form of an algorithm that calculates real-time monetary values for the first chemical and the second chemical and alters the operation of the distillation column to change either the percentage of the first chemical in the second fraction or the percentage of the second chemical in the first fraction, thereby maximizing overall operational profit for the distillation column.

The separation method separates a polyalcohol compound from water, so as to obtain a purified product stream comprising the polyalcohol compound in an output concentration of at least 90 wt %. Thereto, a mixture of the polyalcohol compound and water is provided, said mixture having a polyalcohol concentration. The polyalcohol concentration of the mixture is increased in an evaporation stage. Subsequently, the mixture is treated in a distillation stage to deliver the purified product stream comprising the polyalcohol compound in the output concentration of at least 90 wt %. Herein, the distillation stage is operated to produce steam output, that is optionally compressed to a steam pressure, and is coupled to the evaporation stage. The maximum distillation pressure and/or said compressed steam pressure is not less than the maximum evaporation pressure. The reactor system is configured for performing the separation method.

A new and innovative power and treated water co-generation system is provided that includes a modified Kalina cycle and a forward osmosis (FO) membrane. The Kalina cycle of the provided system is used for power production, whereas the system's FO process is used for water production. The provided system modifies a typical Kalina cycle to include a more efficient and relatively low-temperature heat source, while still utilizing the same working fluid, which is ammonia-water. The draw solution for the provided system's FO process is also ammonia-water, which is known and efficient for desalination and wastewater treatment. In some aspects, the working fluid of the system may be a specific ammonia-water composition including between 30-95% ammonia. The presently disclosed system combines the Kalina process and the FO process into an improved and innovative heat integration system to minimize energy requirements and enable operation at both small and large scales.

A plant for separating at least one purified hydrocarbon stream from at least one crude hydrocarbon feed stream. The plant comprises a vessel with a single foundation. The vessel comprises an absorber section and a first divided-wall column. The first divided-wall column comprises a dividing wall, a stripper section, and a stabilization section.

The present disclosure relates to isolating one or more cannabinoids from an input mixture. There is disclosed an apparatus that comprises a volatizing unit, a fractional distillation unit, and a condensing unit. The volatizing unit receives and volatilizes the input mixture to provide a cannabinoid-containing vapor stream and a residue. The fractional distillation unit comprises a plenum for receiving the cannabinoid-containing vapor stream and separates a first cannabinoid from at least a second cannabinoid. The condensing unit is configured to receive a portion of the cannabinoid-containing vapor stream comprising the first cannabinoid from the plenum and to form a condensed first cannabinoid output stream and a recirculate stream. There are also disclosed methods for isolating one or more cannabinoids employing a recirculate stream.

A heat and mass transfer system configured to be a passive system using gravitational force to form a thin liquid film flow on an outer surface of a flow distribution head and downstream conduit member to subject the thin liquid film to heat transfer mediums. The at least partially spherical flow distribution head creates a uniform thin flow of liquid on the outer surface increasing the efficiency of the heat and mass transfer system. The heat and mass transfer system may include a heat transfer medium supply system in fluid communication with internal aspects of the downstream conduit such that a heat transfer medium flows within the downstream conduit while the liquid film flows on the outer surface of the downstream conduit. Rather than conventional sheet flow on inner surfaces of a conduit, the flow distribution head enables sheet flow to be formed on an outside surface of a component.

This disclosure relates to new processes to produce high paraffinic diesel from crude oil, such as tight oil from the Permian basin. This disclosure also relates to high paraffinic diesel compositions and high paraffinic diesel blends.

According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of removing volatile compounds from a lignin-containing material, the method comprising: providing a material comprising lignin and volatile compounds; treating the material by a distillation method in order to vaporize at least a part of the volatile compounds.