Process for the distillative separation of ethylbenzene from a mixture comprising ethylbenzene and at least one other C8 aromatic compound, comprising distilling said mixture in a distillation column in the presence of an extractive solvent, characterized in that the distillation column is operated at a sub-atmospheric pressure.

A system for processing cannabinoids and recovering solvent has a vessel for a mixture of cannabinoids and solvent. A pump forms a vacuum in the system to draw the mixture into a first heat exchanger to pre-heat the mixture. A falling film evaporator receives the mixture from the first heat exchanger, and boils the mixture to form a solvent vapor. The falling film evaporator collects the cannabinoids from the mixture as a crude oil. The first heat exchanger receives the solvent vapor. Heat is transferred to incoming mixture of the system, and cools and condenses the solvent vapor to form solvent condensate and vapor. A second heat exchanger receives and further cools the solvent condensate and vapor to form further condensed solvent and some solvent vapor. The pump receives the further condensed solvent and some solvent vapor and increases pressure to form solvent liquid and recovers solvent liquid for reuse.

Many linear alpha olefin (LAO) syntheses form a range of LAO products when oligomerizing ethylene in the presence of a Ziegler-type catalyst. The range of products typically requires a plurality of distillation columns to separate the LAO products up to a desired carbon count, but such approaches may be energy- and capital-intensive. LAO product separation using at least one dividing wall column may lessen these burdens. Methods for separating LAOs may comprise: providing a pre-processed product stream comprising Cg+ linear alpha olefins (LAOS) to a first of a series of distillation columns, at least one member of the series of distillation columns comprising a dividing wall column; and separating an overhead stream comprising a first LAO from the dividing wall column and one or more side streams from the dividing wall column, each side stream comprising a different LAO that also differs from the first LAO.

Many linear alpha olefin (LAO) syntheses form a range of LAO products when oligomerizing ethylene in the presence of a Ziegler-type catalyst. The range of products typically requires a plurality of distillation columns to separate the LAO products up to a desired carbon count, but such approaches may be energy- and capital-intensive. LAO product separation using at least one dividing wall column may lessen these burdens. Methods for separating LAOs may comprise: providing a pre-processed product stream comprising Cg+ linear alpha olefins (LAOS) to a first of a series of distillation columns, at least one member of the series of distillation columns comprising a dividing wall column; and separating an overhead stream comprising a first LAO from the dividing wall column and one or more side streams from the dividing wall column, each side stream comprising a different LAO that also differs from the first LAO.

An apparatus for producing aromatic hydrocarbons including: a C6 separation column; a C7 separation column; a first gasoline hydrogenation unit; a C8 separation column; an extractive distillation column; a hydrodealkylation reaction unit; and a second gasoline hydrogenation unit.

An apparatus for producing aromatic hydrocarbons including: a C6 separation column; a C7 separation column; a first gasoline hydrogenation unit; a C8 separation column; an extractive distillation column; a hydrodealkylation reaction unit; and a second gasoline hydrogenation unit.

A method of producing aromatic hydrocarbons including: supplying a raw material stream to a C6 separation column, supplying an upper discharge stream from the C6 separation column to a first gasoline hydrogenation unit, and supplying a lower discharge stream from the C6 separation column to a C7 separation column; supplying an upper discharge stream from the C7 separation column to the first gasoline hydrogenation unit and supplying a lower discharge stream from the C7 separation column to a C8 separation column; separating benzene and toluene from a discharge stream from the first gasoline hydrogenation unit; removing a lower discharge stream from the C8 separation column and supplying an upper discharge stream from the C8 separation column to a second extractive distillation column; and separating styrene from a lower discharge stream from the second extractive distillation column and separating xylene from an upper discharge stream from the second extractive distillation column.

A method of producing aromatic hydrocarbons including: supplying a raw material stream to a C6 separation column, supplying an upper discharge stream from the C6 separation column to a first gasoline hydrogenation unit, and supplying a lower discharge stream from the C6 separation column to a C7 separation column; supplying an upper discharge stream from the C7 separation column to the first gasoline hydrogenation unit and supplying a lower discharge stream from the C7 separation column to a C8 separation column; separating benzene and toluene from a discharge stream from the first gasoline hydrogenation unit; removing a lower discharge stream from the C8 separation column and supplying an upper discharge stream from the C8 separation column to a second extractive distillation column; and separating styrene from a lower discharge stream from the second extractive distillation column and separating xylene from an upper discharge stream from the second extractive distillation column.

The present invention provides a method for separating HFC-245cb and (E)-HFO-1234ze having close boiling points, i.e., boiling points with only 1° C. difference, by extractive distillation from a composition containing the HFC-245cb and the (E)-HFO-1234ze. More specifically, the present invention is a method for separating HFC-245cb and (E)-HFO-1234ze from a composition containing the HFC-245cb and the (E)-HFO-1234ze, the method comprising subjecting the composition to extractive distillation using at least one extractant selected from the group consisting of halogenated hydrocarbons, halogenated unsaturated hydrocarbons, nitriles, ketones, carbonates, alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters and ethers.

The present invention provides a method for separating HFC-245cb and (E)-HFO-1234ze having close boiling points, i.e., boiling points with only 1° C. difference, by extractive distillation from a composition containing the HFC-245cb and the (E)-HFO-1234ze. More specifically, the present invention is a method for separating HFC-245cb and (E)-HFO-1234ze from a composition containing the HFC-245cb and the (E)-HFO-1234ze, the method comprising subjecting the composition to extractive distillation using at least one extractant selected from the group consisting of halogenated hydrocarbons, halogenated unsaturated hydrocarbons, nitriles, ketones, carbonates, alcohols, hydrocarbons, esters and ethers.