Aromatic hydrocarbon separation via solvent extraction

A process for the recovery of aromatic hydrocarbons from a mixture thereof with non-aromatic hydrocarbons, which process comprises the steps of:

• a. introducing said aromatic/non-aromatic mixture into an extraction zone, and therein contacting said mixture with a solvent having water dissolved therein characteristically selected for adsorbing aromatic hydrocarbons, at conditions selected to maintain said mixture and solvent in liquid phase;
• b. removing a non-aromatic hydrocarbon raffinate stream from said zone, through an upper locus thereof;
• c. removing an aromatic hydrocarbon, solvent-rich extract stream from said zone, through a lower locus thereof, and introducing said extract stream into a stripper column;
• d. removing a non-aromatic hydrocarbon concentrate from said stripper column, through an upper locus thereof, and removing an aromatic hydrocarbon-containing first solvent-rich stream from said stripper column, through a lower locus thereof;
• e. introducing said first solvent-rich stream into a solvent recovery column, through a first locus thereof, introducing a vaporous stream stripping medium into a lower, second locus thereof, recovering a substantially solvent-free aromatic hydrocarbon concentrate through an upper third locus thereof, removing a substantially hydrocarbon-free, second solvent-rich stream from a lower fourth locus thereof and removing a third solvent-rich stream, containing hydrocarbons, through an intermediate fifth locus thereof;
• f. introducing at least a portion of said third solvent-rich stream into said stripper column;
• and,
• g. commingling a portion of both said second and third solvent-rich streams with said aromatic/non-aromatic mixture for introduction therewith into said extraction zone.