Process and apparatus for recovery of dichlorohydrins via codistillation

A process for recovering dichlorohydrin(s) from a mixture comprising dichlorohydrin(s), one or more compounds selected from ester(s) of chlorohydrin(s), monochlorohydrin(s), and/or multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon compound(s) and/or ester(s) thereof;

• water;
• and optionally one or more substances comprising chlorinating agent(s), catalyst(s), ester(s) of catalyst(s), and/or heavy byproduct(s), wherein the process comprises:
• (a) providing a vapor and/or liquid phase mixture comprising dichlorohydrin(s), one or more compounds selected from ester(s) of chlorohydrin(s), monochlorohydrin(s), and/or multihydroxylated-aliphatic hydrocarbon compound(s) and/or ester(s) thereof;
• water, wherein the water present in the mixture is the water produced in a hydrochlorination reaction;
• and optionally one or more substances comprising chlorinating agent(s), catalyst(s), ester(s) of catalyst(s), and/or heavy byproduct(s);
• (b) distilling or fractionating the mixture of step (a) in one or more unit operations to separate a lower boiling fraction comprising dichlorohydrin(s) and other lower boiling components from the mixture of step (a), to form a higher boiling fraction comprising the residue of the distillation or fractionation;
• and simultaneously introducing at least one stripping agent into contact with the higher boiling fraction;
• wherein the at least one stripping agent is an azeotroping agent for the dichlorohydrin(s);
• and wherein the at least one stripping agent contacts the higher boiling fraction and strips dichlorohydrin(s) from the higher boiling fraction into a vapor phase:
• (1) to produce a lower boiling fraction enriched with dichlorohydrin(s) and the at least one stripping agent;
• and
• (2) to lower the boiling temperature of the higher boiling fraction to minimize the formation of heavy byproducts;
• and
• (c) recovering at least a portion of the lower boiling fraction produced in step (b).