Solvent Recovery:

Adsorption: The solvent laden air coming from the productive process is sucked by the main fans and is sent to the recovery plant. The air, filtered enters in the absorbers where the solvents are absorbed on the activated carbon; then the clean air is discharged to the atmosphere. The concentration in the cleaned air is continuously monitored by a FID analyser which indicates the total organic carbon content.

Activated carbon regeneration: The regeneration phase of each adsorber is projected to recover the solvent adsorbed on the activated carbon bed. The regeneration is realized through the following different phases:

Inertisation: The absorber, which has to be regenerated, contains oxygen that has to be eliminated before the solvent vapours, reaches high concentrations.

Heating and condensation: During this heating phase, the carbon bed releases the humidity. The humidity is condensed in a glicoled water fed battery. The recovered solvent is then stored in a suitable process tank. The beginning of the regeneration phase of each adsorber can be determined: automatically, through a concentration threshold; through a time by a timer settled in PLC; manually, by the operator.

Distilation: The distillation unit is composed of 3 columns, from which we will obtain pure ethyl acetate, a mixture of high-boiling products, a mixture of alcohols, ethyl acetate and water (azeotropic mixture).