A direct-fired evaporator includes a closed vessel into which a slurry feed of a slurry is provided. The vessel includes an outlet for concentrated product and an outlet for solvent vapor. A furnace extends through the vessel under a level of the slurry. A burner is positioned at an entrance to an interior of the furnace. An agitator is disposed in the vessel so as to agitate the slurry around an outer wall of the furnace. Flue gases from combustion are used as a heat-transfer medium for evaporating the slurry. The direct-fired evaporator can be used as a first effect in a multi-effect evaporation system.

A direct-fired evaporator includes a closed vessel into which a slurry feed of a slurry is provided. The vessel includes an outlet for concentrated product and an outlet for solvent vapor. A furnace extends through the vessel under a level of the slurry. A burner is positioned at an entrance to an interior of the furnace. An agitator is disposed in the vessel so as to agitate the slurry around an outer wall of the furnace. Flue gases from combustion are used as a heat-transfer medium for evaporating the slurry. The direct-fired evaporator can be used as a first effect in a multi-effect evaporation system.

A method for producing an ?-olefin oligomer composition includes: an oligomerization step A1 of oligomerizing an ?-olefin with a metallocene catalyst to obtain an oligomer (a); a distillation separation step A2 of distilling and separating the oligomer (a) to obtain a high molecular weight fraction (a1) and a low molecular weight fraction (a2); an oligomerization step B1 of oligomerizing an ?-olefin oligomer containing the low molecular weight fraction (a2) with an acid catalyst to obtain an oligomer (b); and a mixing step C of mixing a portion of the oligomer (a) or a hydrogenated product thereof and a portion or a whole of the oligomer (b), an isomer thereof, or a hydrogenated isomer thereof.

A method for producing an ?-olefin oligomer composition includes: an oligomerization step A1 of oligomerizing an ?-olefin with a metallocene catalyst to obtain an oligomer (a); a distillation separation step A2 of distilling and separating the oligomer (a) to obtain a high molecular weight fraction (a1) and a low molecular weight fraction (a2); an oligomerization step B1 of oligomerizing an ?-olefin oligomer containing the low molecular weight fraction (a2) with an acid catalyst to obtain an oligomer (b); and a mixing step C of mixing a portion of the oligomer (a) or a hydrogenated product thereof and a portion or a whole of the oligomer (b), an isomer thereof, or a hydrogenated isomer thereof.

A processes is for purifying an amine compound from a feed solvent which includes an amine salt of the amine compound. The process includes heating the feed solvent in a single stage evaporator of a reclaimer at a reduced operating pressure by feeding the evaporator with a constant amount of thermal energy; and evaporating the amine compound to purity the amine compound from the feed solvent.

A distillation apparatus is disclosed herein. The distillation apparatus comprises an evaporation chamber, a heat source arranged to provide heat to the evaporation chamber, one or more condensing chambers located at least partially inside the evaporation chamber, a fluid inlet connected to the evaporation chamber, one or more fluid outlets attached to the one or more condensing chambers and a vapour compressor pump. Also disclosed is a liquid ring pump suitable for use with such a distillation apparatus, the pump comprising a pump body, a pump compression chamber provided within the pump body, a rotor mounted within the compression chamber, a rotor axle to mount said rotor, the rotor being provided with one or more ceramic bearings to mount it to the rotor axle.

A distillation apparatus is disclosed herein. The distillation apparatus comprises an evaporation chamber, a heat source arranged to provide heat to the evaporation chamber, one or more condensing chambers located at least partially inside the evaporation chamber, a fluid inlet connected to the evaporation chamber, one or more fluid outlets attached to the one or more condensing chambers and a vapour compressor pump. Also disclosed is a liquid ring pump suitable for use with such a distillation apparatus, the pump comprising a pump body, a pump compression chamber provided within the pump body, a rotor mounted within the compression chamber, a rotor axle to mount said rotor, the rotor being provided with one or more ceramic bearings to mount it to the rotor axle.

The present invention describes a method which outlines a process for conversion of CBD to a .sup.9-tetrahydrocannabinol (.sup.9-THC) compound or derivative thereof involving treating a naturally produced CBD intermediate compound with an organoaluminum-based Lewis acid catalyst, under conditions effective to produce the .sup.9-tetrahydrocannabinol compound or derivative thereof at a relatively high concentration. The source of the CBD is from industrial hemp having less than 0.3% .sup.9-THC and extracting and purifying a CBD distillate or isolate or a combination thereof. This procedure will produce .sup.9-THC that is essentially free from any other cannabinoids other than some trace amounts of the initial CBD starting material, or about 95% .sup.9-THC and 2-4% CBD. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a process for further purification and enrichment of the .sup.9-THC using distillation and collecting an essentially pure fraction of .sup.9-THC using additional distillation or enrichment form of purification. Included are methods and processes to scale the reaction from the lab to large scale manufacturing. Included are methods for adding a molecule marker to authenticate high purity .sup.9-THC products. Formulations and uses for pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, food products, and topicals are also provided.

The present invention describes a method which outlines a process for conversion of CBD to a .sup.9-tetrahydrocannabinol (.sup.9-THC) compound or derivative thereof involving treating a naturally produced CBD intermediate compound with an organoaluminum-based Lewis acid catalyst, under conditions effective to produce the .sup.9-tetrahydrocannabinol compound or derivative thereof at a relatively high concentration. The source of the CBD is from industrial hemp having less than 0.3% .sup.9-THC and extracting and purifying a CBD distillate or isolate or a combination thereof. This procedure will produce .sup.9-THC that is essentially free from any other cannabinoids other than some trace amounts of the initial CBD starting material, or about 95% .sup.9-THC and 2-4% CBD. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a process for further purification and enrichment of the .sup.9-THC using distillation and collecting an essentially pure fraction of .sup.9-THC using additional distillation or enrichment form of purification. Included are methods and processes to scale the reaction from the lab to large scale manufacturing. Included are methods for adding a molecule marker to authenticate high purity .sup.9-THC products. Formulations and uses for pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, food products, and topicals are also provided.

The present invention relates to a process for removing impurities from vegetable oil, wherein the process is comprising the step of subjecting a vegetable oil to a short-path evaporation, wherein the short-path evaporation is performed at a pressure of below 1 mbar, at an evaporator temperature in a range of from 50 to below 150 C. and with a feed rate per unit area of evaporator surface of the short-path evaporation equipment of more than 25 kg/h.Math.m.sup.2, and thus obtaining a retentate vegetable oil and a distillate. The present invention further relates to the use of a short-path evaporation for removing impurities from a vegetable oil.