A process for the separation of a substance from a liquid feed mixture and for the purification of the substance by fractional layer crystallization, wherein the liquid feed mixture comprises the substance to be separated and purified in a concentration of less than 50% by weight, which comprises the subsequent steps in the given order: (a) feeding the liquid feed mixture into a crystallization zone, in which at least one surface is provided, so that at least a part of the surface contacts the liquid feed mixture, (b) cooling the at least one surface of the crystallization zone to a temperature below the equilibrium freezing temperature of the liquid feed mixture so that a crystal layer enriched in the substance to be separated and purified is deposited on the at least one cooled surface, whereby a mother liquid having a lower concentration of the substance to be separated and purified than the liquid feed mixture is formed from the liquid feed mixture, (c) removing at least a portion of the mother liquid from the crystallization zone, (d) adding a further portion of liquid feed mixture into the crystallization zone, (e) allowing further deposition of a crystal layer enriched in the substance to be separated and purified to take place on the at least one cooled surface, (f) optionally carrying out a sweating stage and removing a sweating residue and (g) melting the crystal layer to obtain the separated and purified substance.

A process for the separation of a substance from a liquid feed mixture and for the purification of the substance by fractional layer crystallization, wherein the liquid feed mixture comprises the substance to be separated and purified in a concentration of less than 50% by weight, which comprises the subsequent steps in the given order: (a) feeding the liquid feed mixture into a crystallization zone, in which at least one surface is provided, so that at least a part of the surface contacts the liquid feed mixture, (b) cooling the at least one surface of the crystallization zone to a temperature below the equilibrium freezing temperature of the liquid feed mixture so that a crystal layer enriched in the substance to be separated and purified is deposited on the at least one cooled surface, whereby a mother liquid having a lower concentration of the substance to be separated and purified than the liquid feed mixture is formed from the liquid feed mixture, (c) removing at least a portion of the mother liquid from the crystallization zone, (d) adding a further portion of liquid feed mixture into the crystallization zone, (e) allowing further deposition of a crystal layer enriched in the substance to be separated and purified to take place on the at least one cooled surface, (f) optionally carrying out a sweating stage and removing a sweating residue and (g) melting the crystal layer to obtain the separated and purified substance.

A process for the separation of a substance from a liquid feed mixture and for the purification of the substance by fractional layer crystallization, wherein the liquid feed mixture comprises the substance to be separated and purified in a concentration of less than 50% by weight, which comprises the subsequent steps in the given order: (a) feeding the liquid feed mixture into a crystallization zone, in which at least one surface is provided, so that at least a part of the surface contacts the liquid feed mixture, (b) cooling the at least one surface of the crystallization zone to a temperature below the equilibrium freezing temperature of the liquid feed mixture so that a crystal layer enriched in the substance to be separated and purified is deposited on the at least one cooled surface, whereby a mother liquid having a lower concentration of the substance to be separated and purified than the liquid feed mixture is formed from the liquid feed mixture, (c) removing at least a portion of the mother liquid from the crystallization zone, (d) adding a further portion of liquid feed mixture into the crystallization zone, (e) allowing further deposition of a crystal layer enriched in the substance to be separated and purified to take place on the at least one cooled surface, (f) optionally carrying out a sweating stage and removing a sweating residue and (g) melting the crystal layer to obtain the separated and purified substance.

A method of recovering paraxyiene in a pressure swing adsorption unit with varying hydrogen purge pressures. The pressure swing adsorption zone is adapted to adsorb and desorb paraxyiene based on the cycling of partial pressure in the zone. A first hydrogen purge fed to the zone is within 50 psi of the adsorption pressure of paraxyiene in the zone. A second hydrogen purge fed to the zone is within 50 psi of the desorption pressure of paraxyiene in the zone. The overall amount of hydrogen necessary to operate the pressure swing adsorption zone is reduced and heat may be recovered from the effluent leaving the pressure swing adsorption zone.

Para-xylene production processes are disclosed, with such processes being integrated with extractive distillation or other separation to effectively separate, for example to remove and recover, ethylbenzene and other components that co-boil with the isomers of xylene. This allows for xylene isomerization, downstream of the separation of para-xylene from its other isomers, to be operated under milder conditions (e.g., liquid phase, absence of added hydrogen) without the need for ethylbenzene conversion. The associated decreased yields of byproducts such as light gases and non-aromatic hydrocarbons, together with the generation of purified ethylbenzene having value for styrene monomer production, can significantly improve overall process economics.

Para-xylene production processes are disclosed, with such processes being integrated with extractive distillation or other separation to effectively separate, for example to remove and recover, ethylbenzene and other components that co-boil with the isomers of xylene. This allows for xylene isomerization, downstream of the separation of para-xylene from its other isomers, to be operated under milder conditions (e.g., liquid phase, absence of added hydrogen) without the need for ethylbenzene conversion. The associated decreased yields of byproducts such as light gases and non-aromatic hydrocarbons, together with the generation of purified ethylbenzene having value for styrene monomer production, can significantly improve overall process economics.

Para-xylene production processes are disclosed, with such processes being integrated with extractive distillation or other separation to effectively separate, for example to remove and recover, ethylbenzene and other components that co-boil with the isomers of xylene. This allows for xylene isomerization, downstream of the separation of para-xylene from its other isomers, to be operated under milder conditions (e.g., liquid phase, absence of added hydrogen) without the need for ethylbenzene conversion. The associated decreased yields of byproducts such as light gases and non-aromatic hydrocarbons, together with the generation of purified ethylbenzene having value for styrene monomer production, can significantly improve overall process economics.

Processes are described for separating 3,4- and 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl from a mixture comprising at least 3,3-, 3,4- and 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl. In the processes, the mixture is cooled to produce a crystallization product comprising at least of the 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl from the feed mixture and a first mother liquor product. The first mother liquor product is distilled to produce a bottoms stream enriched in 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product and an overhead stream deficient in 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product. The overhead stream is then cooled to produce a second crystallization product comprising at least part of the 3,4-dimethylbiphenyl from the overhead stream and a second mother liquor product.

Processes are described for separating 3,4- and 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl from a mixture comprising at least 3,3-, 3,4- and 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl. In the processes, the mixture is cooled to produce a crystallization product comprising at least of the 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl from the feed mixture and a first mother liquor product. The first mother liquor product is distilled to produce a bottoms stream enriched in 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product and an overhead stream deficient in 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product. The overhead stream is then cooled to produce a second crystallization product comprising at least part of the 3,4-dimethylbiphenyl from the overhead stream and a second mother liquor product.

Processes are described for separating 3,4- and 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl from a mixture comprising at least 3,3-, 3,4- and 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl. In the processes, the mixture is cooled to produce a crystallization product comprising at least of the 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl from the feed mixture and a first mother liquor product. The first mother liquor product is distilled to produce a bottoms stream enriched in 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product and an overhead stream deficient in 4,4-dimethylbiphenyl as compared with the first mother liquor product. The overhead stream is then cooled to produce a second crystallization product comprising at least part of the 3,4-dimethylbiphenyl from the overhead stream and a second mother liquor product.