The present invention relates to a process for purifying
ethylene carbonate from a crude
ethylene carbonate composition, said process comprising the steps of: a) subjecting a crude composition comprising
ethylene carbonate to at least one
distillation step to obtain a pre-purified composition comprising at least 99.5% by weight of
ethylene carbonate; and b) subjecting the pre-purified composition obtained in step a) to at least one melt
crystallization step to obtain a purified
ethylene carbonate composition wherein the process is carried out in a
plant comprising at least one
distillation column, one vessel, at least one crystallizer and a
feed line for a crude composition containing
ethylene carbonate, wherein, if the apparatus comprises one
distillation column, the distillation column, or, if the apparatus comprises two or more distillation columns, the first distillation column, comprising a top outlet line, a bottom outlet line and a side outlet line, wherein the at least one crystallizer comprises an inlet line for the pre-purification of the composition and an outlet line for the purification of the ethylene carbonate composition, and wherein the side outlet line of the distillation column is directly or indirectly connected to the inlet line of the at least one crystallizer for the pre-purification of the composition, wherein i) or the vessel is connected to the
feed line for the crude composition containing ethylene carbonate and to an inlet line, where the inlet line is connected to a gas outlet of a first
reboiler, where the first
reboiler is further connected to a bottom outlet line of the distillation column, where the vessel further comprises an outlet line, where the outlet line is connected to a gas outlet of a second
reboiler, where the first reboiler is further connected to a bottom outlet line of the distillation column. The outlet line leads to the inlet line of the distillation column via a second reboiler, in which a bottom fraction of the distillation column withdrawn from the distillation column via the bottom outlet line is partially evaporated in the first reboiler to obtain a gas fraction and a
liquid fraction, or ii) the
feed line for the crude composition containing ethylene carbonate is introduced into the distillation column, where the bottom outlet line of the distillation column leads to the vessel via a first reboiler, where the vessel comprises a gas outlet connected to the inlet line of the distillation column, where the bottom outlet line of the distillation column leads to the vessel via a second reboiler, where the gas outlet is connected to the inlet line of the distillation column. And the container comprises a liquid outlet which is connected with a pipeline leading into a second reboiler, the second reboiler comprises a gas outlet which is connected with an inlet pipeline of the distillation column, and the gas outlet is connected with a gas outlet of the distillation column. Wherein a bottom fraction of the distillation column withdrawn from the distillation column via the bottom outlet line is partially evaporated in the first reboiler, and wherein at least a portion of a gas fraction obtained in the first reboiler is recycled to the distillation column via the inlet line.