PROCESS FOR UPGRADING CAUSTICS SPENT BY NAPHTHENIC ACIDS

摘要

Caustic solutions which become spent in the extraction of naphthenic acids from virgin distillates are recovered and upgraded by adding fresh caustic, having a density of at least 45.degree. B?, to the spent caustic thereby forming a two phase system: the upper phase primarily containing valuable sodium naphthenates and the lower phase containing a caustic solution of at least about 15.degree. B?, preferably 18-25.degree.B? with little or no naphthenates, the caustic solution so formed may then be reused for the extraction of naphthenic acids from additional quantities of virgin distillates or for removal of acidic sulfur compounds from virgin and cracked naphtha streams thereby eliminating the necessity of acid neutralization of the spent caustic or other spent caustic disposal techniques.