Organic Solvent Recovery from Polyarylene Sulfide Waste Sludge
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Solution Overview
Problem
The current methods for producing polyarylene sulfides generate a waste sludge containing significant amounts of organic solvent, which is not effectively recovered, leading to inefficient use and disposal issues.
Innovation Solution
A method and system are developed to recover organic solvents from the waste sludge by combining it with an extractant, forming a homogeneous liquid phase, and separating it into an organic solvent-rich and extractant-rich phase, allowing for the reuse of the recovered solvent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If distillation steps are used to recover organic solvent from washing liquid, then organic solvent is recovered, but a waste sludge containing significant amounts of organic solvent is generated and must be disposed off-site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by treating the waste sludge (previously discarded) as a valuable resource containing recoverable organic solvent. The process combines waste sludge with extractant, performs liquid-liquid extraction to recover organic solvent from the sludge, and enables reuse of the recovered solvent, thereby converting a disposal problem into a resource recovery opportunity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an extractant as an intermediary substance to facilitate the transfer of organic solvent from the waste sludge phase to the extractant phase. This intermediary enables the separation and recovery of organic solvent that would otherwise be trapped in the waste sludge, solving the contradiction between solvent recovery and sludge disposal
2Ease of manufacture
If waste sludge is disposed off-site, then disposal requirements are met, but significant amounts of organic solvent are lost and require additional recovery efforts
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of simply discarding the waste sludge to meet disposal requirements, the patent implements a recovery process that extracts organic solvent from the sludge. This approach maintains compliance with disposal regulations while simultaneously recovering valuable organic solvent, eliminating the need for additional recovery efforts elsewhere in the process
3Device complexity
If organic solvent is not recovered from waste sludge, then the process is simpler, but solvent efficiency decreases and disposal costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements organic solvent recovery from waste sludge through liquid-liquid extraction using an extractant. This process improves solvent efficiency by enabling reuse of recovered solvent in subsequent production stages, thereby addressing the productivity concern despite the added process steps for extraction and separation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively recovers and recycles the organic solvent, reducing waste and improving the efficiency of the polyarylene sulfide production process by reusing the solvent in subsequent stages.
Implementation Method 1
combining a waste sludge with an extractant to form a mixture that includes a homogeneous liquid phase
Implementation Method 2
changing a temperature of the homogeneous liquid phase, upon which the homogeneous liquid phase separates to form an organic solvent-rich liquid phase and an extractant-rich liquid phase
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for recovering an organic solvent from a waste sludge generated during formation of a polyarylene sulfide. Methods include combining the waste sludge with a liquid extractant that extracts the organic solvent into a homogeneous liquid phase. Upon a temperature change, the homogeneous liquid phase can separate into an organic solvent-rich liquid phase and a liquid extractant-rich liquid phase. The two liquid phases can be separated and further processed if desired to further purify the recovered organic solvent. Methods can also include forming the polyarylene sulfide by a polymerization process and thereafter purifying a slurry of the polyarylene sulfide. A liquid washing product is formed as a result of the purification process, which can be subjected to a distillation process that forms an organic solvent-rich stream and the waste sludge.