In reaction for preparing low-carbon
alcohol through catalytic conversion of a
carbohydrate compound, a
tungsten-based catalyst may be wholly or partly dissolved in a reaction substrate, and is difficult to recover, and the cost of the catalyst is increased. The invention provides a method of recovering the
tungsten-based catalyst from a complex reaction substrate. The method is characterized in that the complex reaction substrate is a rectification residual product after the catalytic conversion of the
carbohydrate compound, after reaction products are subjected to rectification for separation of glycol and
propylene glycol, a kettle bottom residual product is obtained, a
boiling point of the kettle bottom residual product is greater than or equal to 200 degrees, and the kettle bottom residual product contains
tungsten salt; and through adding an
organic solvent to the kettle bottom residual product, the tungsten salt is dissolved out and recovered, fusel having a high
boiling point is obtained, and a
mass recovery rate of the tungsten salt is greater than or equal to 90%. According to the method, a catalyst
recovery process is simple, the catalyst
recovery efficiency is high, and the cyclic activity of the tungsten-based catalyst is excellent. In addition, the overall process facilitates operation and industrialized production.