Purification of alcohols

摘要

An aspect of the invention provides an electrodialysis cell (20) for use in purifying an alcohol (6) containing a salt. The cell comprises:
a) an anode compartment (1);
b) a cathode compartment (5);
c) a desalination compartment (3) between the anode compartment (1) and the cathode compartment (5);
d) a first concentration compartment (2) between the desalination compartment (3) and the anode compartment (1);
e) a second concentration compartment (4) between the desalination compartment (3) and the cathode compartment (5);
f) a polymeric or ceramic cation-exchange membrane (16) between the first concentration compartment (2) and the anode compartment (1);
g) a polymeric or ceramic anion-exchange membrane (17) between the second concentration compartment (4) and the cathode compartment (5);
and
h) a polymeric or ceramic membrane (14,15) between the desalination compartment (3) and each concentration compartment (2,4). Other aspects of the invention provide a electrodeionization cell for further purifying the alcohol, and a method of purifying alcohols, notably polyols, using the apparatus.