Method for recovering transition metal tetrahalide and hydrocarbons from a waste stream

A process for recovering TiCl4 from a process stream comprising the steps of:

• (a) establishing a mixed stream comprising TiCl4 and a transition metal haloalkoxide by
• (a-1) contacting a solid olefin polymerization catalyst component with a wash liquid thereby producing a mixture comprising the solid catalyst component and a liquid component,
• wherein the wash liquid is selected from a group consisting of n-pentane, isopentane, n-hexane, 2-methylpentane, 3-methylpentane, cyclohexane, n-heptane, 2-methylhexane, 3-methylhexane, 2-ethylpentane, n-octane, 2-methylheptane, 3-methylheptane, 4-methylheptane, 3-ethylhexane, benzene, toluene, and their mixtures, and
• wherein the liquid component comprises the wash liquid, TiCl4, and the transition metal haloalkoxide;
• (a-2) dividing the mixture of step (a-1) into a product fraction comprising a majority of the solid catalyst component and a liquid fraction comprising the liquid component;
• (a-3) recovering the liquid fraction;
• and
• (a-4) establishing said mixed stream from said liquid fraction;
• (b) forming a falling liquid film from the mixed stream of step (a) at a temperature of from 50 to 80° C. and an absolute pressure of from 0.1 to 0.6 bar;
• and
• (c) establishing from the film of step (b):
• an amount of a distillate, the distillate containing from 90 to 100% by weight of recoverable components, the recoverable components comprising TiCl4 and the wash liquid, and
• an amount of a residue, the residue containing about 20 to 80% by weight of the transition metal haloalkoxide,
• wherein the ratio of the amount of residue to the amount of distillate (R/D) is from 0.05 to 0.35.