An energy efficient, environmentally greener process that converts alkali salts to various salt/fertilizer compounds and chloride/sulfate compounds is disclosed. The process uses bipolar membrane electrodialysis or multi-compartment electrolysis to initially convert potassium, sodium and lithium salts to their respective alkali and acid components. The alkali is subsequently reacted with sulfur or phosphoric acid or other acid to produce thiosulfate, phosphate, acetate or other salt products. The acid coproduct is concurrently converted to compounds such as calcium chloride, lysine hydrochloride, ammonium sulfate through solvent extraction and subsequent stripping of the loaded solvent with an appropriate alkali.

The present disclosure includes a method for processing a beer stream for the recovery of oil. The method include a step of extracting oil from a beer stream into an organic phase comprising an organic solvent to provide in the organic phase at least a portion of the oil. In general, a beer stream refers to a composition containing alcohol, water, oil, and particulates, and can be a result of a fermentation process. When the beer stream is a beer stream from a fermentation process, it can be referred to as a fermentation broth even if it is no longer being subjected to fermentation. The beer stream can contain other components commonly found in a stream coming off a fermentation process such as, for example, glycerol and acetic acid. A method for producing ethanol, and an ethanol production facility are provided.

The present disclosure includes a method for processing a beer stream for the recovery of oil. The method include a step of extracting oil from a beer stream into an organic phase comprising an organic solvent to provide in the organic phase at least a portion of the oil. In general, a beer stream refers to a composition containing alcohol, water, oil, and particulates, and can be a result of a fermentation process. When the beer stream is a beer stream from a fermentation process, it can be referred to as a fermentation broth even if it is no longer being subjected to fermentation. The beer stream can contain other components commonly found in a stream coming off a fermentation process such as, for example, glycerol and acetic acid. A method for producing ethanol, and an ethanol production facility are provided.

Methods of extracting biodiesel from a mixture of biodiesel and alcohol are provided. The methods can include contacting the mixture of biodiesel and alcohol with a petrodiesel to form a two-phase system including a polar phase and a nonpolar phase, wherein the alcohol preferentially partitions into the polar phase and the petrodiesel and biodiesel preferentially partition into the nonpolar phase, and separating the nonpolar phase from the polar phase to extract the biodiesel. The methods can include using a multi-stage extraction apparatus, for example in countercurrent or crosscurrent extraction arrangement. Methods of making a biodiesel blend are also provided. The methods can include making a biodiesel blend with a biodiesel content from about B2 to about B25.

The invention relates to a process for purifying an aqueous solution comprising ethanol, acetaldehyde and diethylacetal comprising: a step A) of countercurrent liquid-liquid extraction comprising an extraction section supplied at the top by said aqueous solution as a mixture with at least one fraction of the water/ethanol/acetaldehyde raffinate resulting from the back extraction step B), and at the bottom by an extraction solvent, and producing an extract at the top and a purified feedstock at the bottom; a step B) of countercurrent liquid-liquid back extraction comprising a back extraction section supplied at the top by an acidic aqueous solution, the pH of which is between 0.5 and 5, and at the bottom by the extract resulting from step A), and producing an extract at the top and a water/ethanol/acetaldehyde raffinate at the bottom.

The invention relates to a process for purifying an aqueous solution comprising ethanol, acetaldehyde and diethylacetal comprising: a step A) of countercurrent liquid-liquid extraction comprising an extraction section supplied at the top by said aqueous solution as a mixture with at least one fraction of the water/ethanol/acetaldehyde raffinate resulting from the back extraction step B), and at the bottom by an extraction solvent, and producing an extract at the top and a purified feedstock at the bottom; a step B) of countercurrent liquid-liquid back extraction comprising a back extraction section supplied at the top by an acidic aqueous solution, the pH of which is between 0.5 and 5, and at the bottom by the extract resulting from step A), and producing an extract at the top and a water/ethanol/acetaldehyde raffinate at the bottom.

The present invention relates to process and apparatus for removing aldehydes from acetone. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process and apparatus for removing aldehydes from acetone by reacting the aldehydes with caustic in an acetone column and washing the organic phase with a plurality of water streams.

A method for producing an aromatic bisimide includes reacting a dialkali metal salt of a dihydroxy aromatic compound with a reactive substituted phthalimide under conditions effective to form a product mixture, introducing the product mixture to a liquid-liquid extraction column including an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution, and recovering from the liquid-liquid extraction column a purified aromatic bisimide having less than 500 ppm of residual dialkali metal salt of the dihydroxy aromatic compound, the corresponding dihydroxy aromatic compound, the corresponding mono-substituted salt of the dihydroxy aromatic compound, or a combination including at least one of the foregoing. A method for the manufacture of a polyetherimide from an aromatic bisimide prepared by the above method is also disclosed. A polyetherimide having less than 100 ppb of residual bisphenol A and an article made therefrom are also described.

A process of solvent extraction for separation of rare earth elements (REEs) based on separation factor is provided. The method includes repeatedly contacting the REEs containing aqueous solution with a suitable solvent containing a diluent and/or a modifier and an REE as a partial reflux.

The present invention relates to process and apparatus for removing aldehydes from acetone. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process and apparatus for removing aldehydes from acetone by reacting the aldehydes with caustic in an acetone column and washing the organic phase with a plurality of water streams.