CPC C07C 29/80 (2013.01) [B01D 3/007 (2013.01); B01D 3/06 (2013.01); B01D 3/146 (2013.01); B01D 3/148 (2013.01); B01D 3/322 (2013.01); C08J 11/24 (2013.01); C08J 2367/02 (2013.01)] | 13 Claims |
1. A method of at least partially separating a polyalcohol compound from water, so as to obtain a purified product stream comprising the polyalcohol compound in an output concentration of at least 90 wt %, wherein the method comprises steps of:
providing a mixture of the polyalcohol compound and water, said mixture having a polyalcohol concentration;
feeding the mixture to an inlet of an evaporation stage and increasing the polyalcohol concentration of the mixture in the evaporation stage, wherein at least a portion of the evaporation stage is operated at a first pressure;
treating the mixture in a distillation stage provided with a reflux means operating at a pressure up to 1.5 atmospheres to obtain the purified product stream comprising the polyalcohol compound in the output concentration of at least 90 wt %,
wherein the distillation stage is operated at a second pressure,
wherein the distillation stage is operated to produce a steam output,
wherein the steam output is optionally compressed to a third pressure and is supplied to the evaporation stage,
wherein at least one of the second pressure and the third pressure is higher than the first pressure, and
wherein the evaporation stage comprises at least one flash vessel and the at least one flash vessel is provided with a reboiler that generates steam and provides the steam at a bottom side of the at least one flash vessel and the at least one flash vessel does not contain any means for refluxing.
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