Process for removing halogenated hydrocarbons from solvent streams

A process for recovering halogenated hydrocarbons from solvent streams including said halogenated hydrocarbons, water, and at least one impurity selected from the group consisting of ketones, alcohols and esters, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) separating said solvent stream into a halogenated hydrocarbon rich fraction containing water and impurity, and a water rich fraction containing said impurity and halogenated hydrocarbon;
• (b) separating said impurity from said halogenated hydrocarbon rich fraction of step (a), said separation step including a liquid-liquid extraction step in which said halogenated hydrocarbon rich fraction is contacted with water;
• (c) separating halogenated hydrocarbon from said water rich fraction of step (a) in a first water rich fraction distillation step, said first water rich fraction distillation step producing an intermediate water product and a halogenated hydrocarbon product, said halogenated hydrocarbon product being returned to said separation step (a);
• (d) separating impurity from said intermediate water product of step (c) in a second water rich fraction distillation step, said second water fraction distillation step producing a water product and an impurity product;
• and,
• (e) returning at least a portion of the water product of step (d) to said liquid-liquid extraction of step (b).

A process for recovering halogenated hydrocarbons from steam and solvent vapors produced during the regeneration of a carbon adsorption bed, said steam and solvent vapors including said halogenated hydrocarbons and at least one impurity selected from the group consisting of ketones, alcohols and esters, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) condensing said steam and solvent vapors;
• (b) separating said condensate of step (a) into a halogenated hydrocarbon rich fraction containing water and impurity, and a water rich fraction containing impurity and halogenated hydrocarbon;
• (c) separating said impurity from said halogenated hydrocarbon rich fraction in a liquid-liquid extraction step contacting said halogenated hydrocarbon rich fraction is contacted with water, and producing an impurity product and an intermediate halogenated hydrocarbon product;
• (d) returning said impurity product of said liquid-liquid extraction of step (c) to said separation step (b);
• (e) separating water from said intermediate halogenated hydrocarbon product, said separation comprising at least one distillation step;
• (f) separating halogenated hydrocarbon from said water rich fraction in a first water rich fraction distillation step, said first water rich fraction distillation step producing a halogenated hydrocarbon separation product and an intermediate water product containing impurity;
• (g) passing said halogenated hydrocarbon separation product of step (f) to said separation step (b);
• (h) separating said impurity from said intermediate water product of step (f) in a second water rich fraction distillation step, said second water rich fraction distillation step producing an impurity product and a water product.