Process for the treatment of sodium-containing heavy residues and fuel so obtained

摘要

Process for the removal of sodium from sodium-containing heavy fractions from a process for the combined production of styrene and propylene oxide comprising admixing an aqueous solution of an organic carboxylic acid to the heavy fraction at a temperature comprised between 20° C. and 100° C., and separation of the organic phase from the aqueous phase, wherein the organic phase contains less than 0.5% by weight of polymeric solids. The obtained organic phase has low viscosity and ash content and can be used directly as a fuel.

主权项

1. A process for the removal of sodium from sodium-containing heavy fraction, resulting from combined production of styrene and propylene oxide, the process comprising:
admixing an aqueous solution of from 2% to 20% by weight of an acid selected from the group consisting of monocarboxilic acids having between 1 and 8 carbon atoms, polycarboxilic acids having between 3 and 8 carbon atoms and mixtures thereof, to the heavy fraction at a temperature in the range between 20 and 100° C., and separating an organic phase from an aqueous phase without any intermediate process of purification such that the organic phase is free of sodium and the aqueous phase contains all of the sodium, so as to thereby obtain a modified organic phase that is thereafter usable as a fuel and that contains less than 0.5% by weight of polymeric solids and further that has a viscosity below 100 centistokes at 50° C.