The object is to provide a method for producing an alcohol by applying a multiple-effect method to improve the energy efficiency of the whole process. The object is achieved by a method for producing an alcohol including a concentration step of introducing a water-alcohol mixed solution into a multiple-effect distillation column for concentrating the same; a condensation step of introducing a vapor recovered from the top of the distillation column into a condenser for condensing the same; and a separation step of introducing the water-alcohol mixed solution condensed in the condensation step in a liquid phase into a membrane separation apparatus for separating the water and alcohol in the mixed solution.

Described is a process for producing field butane. The process includes increasing the n-butane concentration in field butane. The process may include a concentration process that includes distillation and a thermal cracking process.

The invention relates to a process for separating a component mixture (K) comprising hydrogen, methane, hydrocarbons having two carbon atoms and hydrocarbons having three or more carbon atoms, wherein in a deethanization at least a portion of the component mixture (K) is subjected to a first partial condensation by cooling from a first temperature level to a second temperature level at a first pressure level to obtain a first gas fraction (G1) and a first liquid fraction (C1), at least a portion of the first gas fraction (G1) is subjected to a second partial condensation by cooling from the second temperature level to a third temperature level at the first pressure level to obtain a second gas fraction (G4) and a second liquid fraction (C2), and at least a portion of the first liquid fraction (C1) and at least a portion of the second liquid fraction (C2) are subjected to a rectification to obtain a third gas fraction (G3) and a third liquid fraction (C3+). The first liquid fraction (C1) or its part subjected to the rectification and the second liquid fraction (C2) or its part subjected to the rectification are expanded to a second pressure level and the rectification is carried out at the second pressure level, the first pressure level being 25 to 35 bar and the second pressure level being 14 to 17 bar. An overhead gas formed during the rectification is cooled to −25 to −35° C. and partially condensed, wherein a condensed portion of the overhead gas is used partially or completely as a reflux in the rectification and an uncondensed portion of the overhead gas is provided partially or completely as the third gas fraction (G3). The present invention likewise provides a corresponding plant (100, 200).

A system and method for increasing the water production efficiency of a desalination plant and producing concentrated calcium and magnesium is provided. A saline source water is preferably subjected to a first treatment such a passage through a first desalination unit, followed by dual treatment of the first treatment reject stream using physicochemical adsorption and electrodialysis to remove scale-forming calcium and magnesium. The reject stream from the dual treatment may then be received by a second desalination unit. Due to the removal of the majority of the saline source water's scale-forming minerals, the second desalination unit may be operated at higher operating limits than in conventional desalination units without significant concern for fouling due to scaling. The approach of the present system and method efficiently increases the fresh water production ratio from the source saline water while generating commercially attractive concentrated calcium and magnesium products.

Recovering heat from a Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) fractionation plant via a waste heat recovery heat exchanger network including heating a buffer fluid in a heat exchanger with a stream from the NGL fractionation plant and discharging the heated buffer fluid to an integrated triple cycle system. Generating cooling capacity for the NGL fractionation plant via the integrated triple cycle system with heat from the buffer fluid.

A method of recovering heat from a Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) fractionation plant for production of potable water. The method includes heating a buffer fluid via a heat exchanger in the NGL fractionation plant to transfer heat from the NGL fractionation plant to the buffer fluid. The method includes heating feed water with the buffer fluid discharged from the heat exchanger for production of potable water via a multi-effect-distillation (MED) system. The method may include producing potable water with heat from the buffer fluid in the MED system.

Provided are compositions and processes concerning efficient downstream processing of products derived from organic acids pretreatment of plant materials.

A process for the production of normal-butanol, iso-butanol and 2-alkyl alkanol is disclosed. The process comprises: hydrogenating a feed comprising normal butyraldehyde, iso-butyraldehyde and 2-alkyl alkenal to form a crude product stream comprising normal-butanol, iso-butanol, 2-alkyl alkanol, unreacted normal butyraldehyde, unreacted iso-butyraldehyde and one or more of unreacted 2-alkyl alkenal, 2-alkyl alkanal or 2-alkyl alkenol; separating the crude product stream to produce: a mixed butanol stream having higher concentrations of normal butanol, iso-butanol, unreacted normal butyraldehyde and unreacted iso-butyraldehyde than the crude product stream; and a crude 2-alkyl alkanol stream having higher concentrations of 2-alkyl alkanol and the one or more of unreacted 2-alkyl alkenal, 2-alkyl alkanal or 2-alkyl alkenol than the crude product stream; separating the mixed butanol stream to produce: a refined normal butanol stream having a higher concentration of normal butanol than the mixed butanol stream; and a crude iso-butanol stream having a higher concentration of iso-butanol than the mixed butanol stream; feeding the crude iso-butanol stream to a first polishing hydrogenation reactor wherein at least some of the unreacted iso-butyraldehyde is converted to iso-butanol to produce a polished iso-butanol stream; separating the polished iso-butanol stream to produce: a refined iso-butanol stream having a higher concentration of iso-butanol than the polished iso-butanol stream; and a light waste stream; separating the crude 2-alkyl alkanol stream to produce: an intermediate 2-alkyl alkanol stream having higher concentrations of 2-alkyl alkanol and the one or more of unreacted 2-alkyl alkenal, 2-alkyl alkanal or 2-alkyl alkenol than the crude 2-alkyl alkanol stream; and a heavy waste stream; feeding the intermediate 2-alkyl alkanol stream to a second polishing hydrogenation reactor wherein at least some of the one or more of unreacted 2-alkyl alkenal, 2-alkyl alkanal or 2-alkyl alkenol is converted to 2-alkyl alkanol to produce a polished 2-alkyl alkanol stream having a higher concentration of 2-alkyl alkanol than the intermediate 2-alkyl alkanol stream; separating the polished 2-alkyl alkanol stream to produce: a refined 2-alkyl alkanol stream having a higher concentration of 2-alkyl alkanol than the polished 2-alkyl alkanol stream; and an intermediate waste stream.

Devices, systems, and methods for forming furan based surfactants by reactive distillation are disclosed herein. Various embodiments can provide a consolidated reaction process that uses reactive distillation to synthesize oleo-furan surfactant molecules and intermediates by combining reaction and separation steps into a single reaction unit or a number of connected reaction units. The single reaction unit or a number of connected reaction units can include a catalyst bed and act to separate reaction side products at opposing ends of the unit or units.

The present application discloses a device for multistage continuous preparation of deuterium depleted water, which includes a feeding pump, a plurality of stages of separation systems connected in series, and a receiver, all of which are connected in sequence. Each stage of separation system comprises a distillation column, a vapor-liquid separator, a low-pressure steam compressor, a stream delivery pump, a three-way valve, and a stream output pipe. The present application further discloses a method for preparing deuterium depleted water, wherein natural water is fed into the device of the present disclosure, and the liquid phase stream continuously flows backwards stage by stage under the combined action of the low-pressure steam compressors and the stream delivery pumps. In a single-stage system, the deuterium is deprived depending on the difference in vapor pressure between .sup.1H.sub.2O and .sup.2H.sub.2O (and/or .sup.1H.sup.2HO), and finally, the deuterium depleted water is produced.