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Azeo-Sep™ systems can be used in a host of different industrial applications. Many aqueous solutions of organic chemicals that form Azeotropic mixtures (i.e. mixtures of chemicals or chemicals and water that have similar boiling points and therefore cannot be separated using conventional distillation methods) can be readily separated using Azeo-Sep™. In some cases, these systems can separate one organic chemical from another thereby allowing two chemicals to be recycled and reused. Some examples of industrial applications follow:
(a) Separation of Azeotropic Mixtures in Chemical Process Industries
Many commonly used solvents form Azeotropes with water, and distillation alone cannot separate them. Azeo-Sep membranes are not affected by Azeotropic formations and can therefore separate, recycle and refine many more spent chemical combinations than the traditional distillation process.
Example of Turnkey Solutions for Industry
(Using Combined Azeo- SepTM and Voc-SepTM Processes)
(b) Increasing Distillation Column Efficiency for Low Volatility Feeds
Distillation columns operating with low volatility differences of the feed components require a high reflux ratio. Azeo-Sep fluid separation is independent of volatility differences. A hybrid Azeo-Sep unit attached to a distillation column will increase throughput and significantly reduce operating costs.
(c) Solvent Recovery in Pharmaceutical, Chemical and Semi-Conductor Industries
In-house recovery of spent solvents is difficult for any fractional distillation process as the solvents used form Azeotropes with water. Azeo-Sep units minimize the disposal of used solvents by allowing them to be economically separated, refined and reused. This process is not only environmentally more beneficial than incineration but also provides huge savings for manufacturers who can now reuse the same used chemicals and/or purified water many times over.
(d) Increasing Reaction Yields
In some chemical reactions, the product yield is limited by the formation of water. Continuous water removal from an equilibrium controlled reaction mixture by an Azeo-Sep distillation hybrid unit will improve the reaction yield. An example is the process of formation of esters from acids and alcohols. In a study currently being carried out for one of KmX's prospects, it was determined that by using the Azeo-Sep process as described, the column efficiency improved by a factor of four to five times and resulted in similar increases to their output.
(e) Dehydration of Solvents Recovered from Activated Carbon Beds
Solvent vapors in effluent air from various industrial drying processes are often captured in activated carbon beds. These solvents are subsequently desorbed using steam. The recovered solvents with high water content can be dehydrated using Azeo-Sep at a much lower cost of energy and more rapidly.
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