Process for separating off organic acids from aqueous solutions
AssigneeDegussa-Huels Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsKlaus-Diether Wiese, Antje Jakob, Franz-Felix Kuppinger
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process for separating organic acids from aqueous solutions by the use of electrochemical processes such as electrolysis and electrodialysis. These processes can be used, for example, to purify aqueous solutions produced in aldol condensation processes.
Claims19
The process of separating at least one first organic acid from an aqueous solution which is process water from an aldol condensation reaction, comprising:
- electrochemically treating said aqueous solution, wherein said electrochemical treating is electrolysis or electrodialysis and recovering purified process water.
A method of making a product aldehyde, comprising:
- reacting a starting aldehyde in the presence of a base, to form said product aldehyde and an aqueous phase;
- separating said product aldehyde and said aqueous phase;
- and
- separating at least one organic acid from said aqueous phase by the process comprising electrochemically treating said aqueous phase, wherein said electrochemical treatment is electrolysis or electrodialysis.
A process for separating at least one first organic acid from an aqueous solution comprising:
- electrochemically treating said aqueous solution, wherein said electrochemical treating is electrodialysis in an electrodialysis module,
- said electrodialysis module comprising:
- a cathode chamber;
- an anode chamber;
- a first solution chamber, between said cathode chamber and said anode chamber;
- a first receiving chamber, between said cathode chamber and said anode chamber, and closer to aid anode chamber than said first solution chamber;
- and
- a first bipolar membrane, separating said first solution chamber and said first receiving chamber;
- and
- said treating of at least a portion of said aqueous solution takes place in said first receiving chamber,
- and wherein said electrodialysis module further comprises:
- a second solution chamber, between said cathode chamber and said anode chamber;
- a second receiving chamber, between said cathode chamber and said anode chamber, and closer to said anode chamber than said second solution chamber;
- a second bipolar membrane, separating said second solution chamber and said second receiving chamber;
- and
- a first anion exchange membrane, separating said first solution chamber and said second receiving chamber;
- and
- said treating of a portion of said aqueous solution takes place in said second receiving chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.