Benefits Of Solvent Distillation Systems | Alaqua INC

Distillation is a common industrial technique for purifying a mixture or separating pollutants from it. The purpose of the distillation process differs depending on the application. Alaqua is a processing equipment supplier for equipment like evaporators, crystallizers, solvent recovery systems, distillation equipment, heat exchanger, and spray dryers to fulfill various industrial requirements.

It is frequently used in chemical or food processing to purify a product by eliminating any harmful or impure elements. The ultimate product is a highly concentrated or contaminant-free combination. This might, however, be utilized to recover a polluted combination, such as a waste cleaning solvent. In this situation, the concentrated combination is rejected, and the process's goal is to keep the distilled solvent.

Solvent distillation systems by Alaqua are specifically developed to recover waste solvents produced by a wide range of industrial applications, including:

• Cleaning Solvents from Waste
• Cannabis Oil Manufacturing
• Solvent Recovery in Flexo and Litho Printing
• Solvent Recovery from 3D Printing

Solvent Distillation

A tank in which the solvent waste is dumped, a heating system for converting the liquid half of the waste into vapour, and a condenser to cool the vapour back into a liquid are all part of the solvent distillation equipment. Boiling a combination in a closed system, condensing the vapours back into a liquid, and then discarding the trash is the basic procedure.

Consider a solvent and resin combination leftover from a manufacturing operation. A solvent distillation device would heat the mixture to boil off the solvent, leaving the resins in the boiling tank to be discarded. The solvent vapours would then condense in a separate compartment, returning to a liquid form that was close to virgin and clean, ready to be reused.

When using solvent recovery equipment, the fundamentals of distillation remain substantially the same. Steam, direct heat (from an electric heating element or a heat plate), and indirect heat are all options for heating the solvent (where an oil bath surrounding the tank is heated by direct electric heat). Because the heating is more consistent, indirect heat is typically the favoured method.

The condenser is commonly made up of a series of looping copper or stainless steel coils that are either cooled by a built-in fan or surrounded by water or coolant to cool the vapour back into a liquid. Air cooling is less costly than water or coolant cooling and is sufficient for small-batch solvent recycling equipment.

For applications where the condensing temperature is very low or the facility's atmosphere is unusually hot, water-cooled condensers may be essential. The efficiency of the water-cooled condenser will improve.

Benefits of Solvent Distillation System

Let’s go through the advantages or benefits of this technology for manufacturers so you can see if solvent distillation will help you accomplish your company's corporate sustainability and financial goals.

Solvent Distillation Systems Generate Beneficial Products

When waste solvents arrive, they are separated and subjected to a solvent waste fingerprint study to determine the kind of solvent.

Solvents are poured into the distillation unit from liquid drums that have been pumped and filtered. Volatilized solvent vapours then extend into a fractionation column, where they cool before being transported to a completed product tank.

After that, the substance is pumped into drums and totes for distribution back into the industry.

Solvent Distillation Recovery is based on the assumption that low boil point components such as acetones, ketones, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and alcohols will be more abundant in the vapour of a boiling mixture. The liquid condensate is a valuable commodity that can be sold back into the industrial market once the vapour is cooled and condensed.

The fraction of the original mix with a higher boiling point that does not evaporate stays at the bottom of the recovery still. This non-vaporized distillation residue is collected and repurposed as a source of alternative energy.

System Can Recycle a Wide Range of Solvents.

One of the most significant advantages of solvent distillation is that it allows many solvents to be recycled, reprocessed, and then reused. This enables a wide range of firms to benefit from the procedure.

The following solvents are the most typically recycled:

• Aliphatic
• Mineral Spirits
• Naphthas
• Aromatics
• Toluene
• Xylene
• Halogenated Hydrocarbons
• Fluorocarbons
• Methylene Chloride
• Perchloroethylene
• Trichloroethylene
• 1,1,1 Trichloroethane
• Alcohols
• Isobutyl Alcohol
• Isopropyl Alcohol
• N-Butyl Alcohol
• Methanol
• Ketones
• Acetone
• Methyl Isobutyl Ketone
• Methyl Ethyl Ketone
• Esters
• Ethyl Acetate

The Circular Economy Could Include Solvent Distillation

Waste is accepted and then handled based on its qualities at different disposal facilities. A Closed Loop Recycling system is developed by combining solvent distillation with waste to energy.

Received garbage is processed and then recycled in this sort of closed-loop system. In this case, because the solid wastes collected are thermally processed at 1500 degrees Fahrenheit to create steam, which is utilised to power solvent recovery systems.

This closed-loop system has many more advantages than an open-loop system, which often results in resources being recycled and utilised for purposes other than what they were designed for. Closed-loop recycling, on the other hand, is designed to be both restorative and regenerative. Its goal is to maintain resources as useful and valuable as possible at all times.

When part of a fully closed-loop recycling system, solvent distillation serves an essential role in lowering hazardous waste, especially for sectors that require reclaimed solvents.

Your Carbon Footprint Has Been Minimized

The process of decreasing a company's overall carbon footprint may appear daunting when sustainable business mandates work their way down the corporate ladder to the employees who execute them.

This means you'll see an instant decrease in waste stream travel distance, lowering your carbon footprint and saving you money on disposal costs.

Conclusion

Following state and federal rules is crucial in today's economy. You may achieve more sustainability and corporate responsibility by adopting a solvent distillation system to assist you with hazardous waste management.

However, by combining the benefits of a solvent distillation system with a real closed loop system, you may decrease your cradle to grave responsibility.

Alaqua provides made in USA distillation equipment, evaporators, crystallizers, solvent recovery systems, heat exchangers, and spray dryers along with equipment fabrication, installation and commissioning, retro-fitting, personnel training, field and troubleshooting services. Contact them today for processing equipment and its services!