The invention relates to an improved process for making available the coproduct hydrogen chloride obtained in the preparation of an isocyanate by phosgenation of the corresponding amine for a desired subsequent use (i.e. a chemical reaction), in which part of the total hydrogen chloride obtained is isolated in gaseous form at a pressure which is higher than the pressure desired for the subsequent use of the hydrogen chloride by lowering the pressure of the crude product from the phosgenation and the remaining part of the total hydrogen chloride obtained is separated off at a pressure lower than that desired for the subsequent use from the liquid crude product from the phosgenation remaining after lowering of the pressure and is subsequently compressed to a pressure which is higher than that desired for the subsequent use, and in which the two hydrogen chloride streams obtained in this way are, preferably together after having been combined, purified so as to give a purified hydrogen chloride at a pressure which is higher than the pressure desired for the subsequent use.

The quick response system and method for removing volatile compounds from contaminated water disclosed herein may comprise, at least, a preconditioning stage, a stripping stage, a condenser stage, a refrigeration stage, and a scrubber stage. The present invention relates to a portable system and method that can be deployed on an emergency or quick response basis to purify aqueous streams containing volatile organic compounds (VOC) and chlorinated hydrocarbons, collectively volatile compounds (VC), emitted from petroleum and chemical processing facilities. The system allows manufacturing facilities having internal cleanup issues to become compliant with environmental standards and guidelines quickly. Once the issues in the petroleum facility are fixed, this method can be demobilized and removed from the site in a short period of time.

A heat and mass transfer component comprises a lubricant-impregnated surface including hydrophobic surface features, which comprise nanostructured surface protrusions having a hydrophobic species attached thereto. The hydrophobic surface features are impregnated with a fluorinated lubricant having a viscosity in a range from about 400 mPa.Math.s to about 6000 mPa.Math.s. A method of fabricating a lubricant-impregnated surface on a heat and mass transfer component comprises: cleaning a thermally conductive substrate to form a cleaned substrate; exposing the cleaned substrate to a hot water or hot alkaline solution to form a thermally conductive substrate having nanostructured surface protrusions; depositing a hydrophobic species on the nanostructured surface protrusions to form hydrophobic surface features; and coating the hydrophobic surface features with a fluorinated lubricant having a viscosity in a range from 400 mPa.Math.s to 6000 mPa.Math.s. The heat and mass transfer component may exhibit a substantial increase in heat transfer coefficient during hydrocarbon condensation.

A vapor/smoke capturing trap system featuring a smoke chamber trap for precipitating the smoke dispersed in the chamber. The chamber includes a bottom pool for containing a reservoir of a liquid solvent, and a gas filled portion in which a lower smog portion contains fog-sized droplets of the liquid solvent and into which the smoke is introduced, and an upper clear portion in which the concentration of the smoke and the droplets is decreased, respective of their concentration in the smog portion. A fog-condenser, disposed between the smog portion and the clear portion, precipitates the fog droplets of the smog portion into the pool. A fine mist generator streams a jet of fog-sized droplets of the liquid solvent mixed with smoke toward a concentration of the smoke at the smog portion. A closed loop gas circulator withdraws gas from the clear portion and recirculates the gas under pressure through the fine mist generator into the smog portion. Fresh smoke is introduced into the gas circulator via a smoke conveying conduit. A complementary smoke capturing method includes filling the reservoir, streaming the jet of fog-sized droplets toward a concentration of smoke dispersed within the lower smog portion of the gas filled portion, precipitating droplets, in the smog portion, into the pool by a fog-condenser disposed between the lower smog portion and the upper clear portion of the gas filled portion, recirculating under pressure, in a closed loop gas circulator, gas withdrawn from the clear portion into the smog portion through the fine mist generator, and conducting fresh smoke via smoke conveying conduit into the gas circulator.

A method of preparing butadiene and a device for preparing the same. The method includes passing reaction raw materials containing butene, oxygen, steam, and a diluent gas through an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor, and oxidative dehydrogenation is performed therein to produce a reaction product separating water from the reaction product condensing hydrocarbons to produce a crude hydrocarbon mixture; and separating butadiene from the crude hydrocarbon mixture, where a gas containing n-butane remaining after the butadiene is separated is fed into the oxidative dehydrogenation reactor, and butane is used as a diluent gas. Because butane is used as a diluent gas, a C4 mixture and gas products may be easily separated through cooling and condensation processes. Thus, the method may increase productivity while reducing energy consumption and raw material costs, thereby improving economic efficiency.

Embodiments of the invention are directed toward a novel pressurized vapor cycle for distilling liquids. In some embodiments of the invention, a liquid purification system is revealed, including the elements of an input for receiving untreated liquid, a vaporizer coupled to the input for transforming the liquid to vapor, a head chamber for collecting the vapor, a vapor pump with an internal drive shaft and an eccentric rotor with a rotatable housing for compressing vapor, and a condenser in communication with the vapor pump for transforming the compressed vapor into a distilled product. Other embodiments of the invention are directed toward heat management, and other process enhancements for making the system especially efficient.

A high efficiency distillation head and methods of use has a distillation head that may be used for efficient fractional distillation of high boiling point compounds, and includes a lower insulated jacket surrounding a fractionating column and an upper insulated jacket surrounding a condenser. An exit path of equal or greater cross sectional area to the fractionating column is located at or below the top of the fractionating column.

A water purification system comprising a salvage pump, a salvage assembly, a vacuum assembly, and a clean water assembly. The salvage pump is configured to draw water from a water source. The salvage assembly is configured to store and heat water drawn from the water source. The vacuum assembly is configured to remove solutes from the water via vacuum evaporation. The clean water assembly is configured to remove non-soluble particles and/or bacteria from the water.

Various aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for extracting oil from plant material. A system may comprise a gas moving device, an extraction chamber, and a condensation surface. Oil of the plant material may be volatized in the extraction chamber and then propelled by the gas moving device to the condensation surface to be collected. In various embodiments, the systems and methods allow the extraction of oil from plant material with little or no solvent.

A method of desalinating an aqueous composition includes forming a hetero-azeotrope mixture by combining the aqueous composition with an entrainer, the aqueous composition including at least one salt, and subjecting the hetero-azeotrope mixture to distillation at a distillation temperature of less than the boiling temperature of the aqueous composition for an operating distillation pressure, resulting in separating the hetero-azeotrope mixture into a distillation bottoms liquid and a multi-phase condensate. The method includes recovering the multi-phase condensate having an entrainer-rich phase and an aqueous phase, the aqueous phase comprising desalinated water, and removing a portion of the aqueous phase from the multi-phase condensate to recover the desalinated water. Systems for conducting the method of desalinating an aqueous stream are also disclosed.