Maratek's fractional distillation columns are uniquely designed by our in-house engineering team and customized as per each battery solvent waste stream. Maratek’s team of engineers use a variety of optimization tools to assess, design and implement a specialized on-site solution for you. These units are tailored to your company's unique facility, waste stream and goals. Our team will determine the appropriate recycling method along with features to provide a highly automated process.
Distillation columns are used to ease the solvent separation process based on a difference in boiling points and achieve the highest purity of the recovered solvents, such as N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). When NMP is mixed with water or other solvents it can be difficult to recover and reuse. A fractional distillation column can aid in effectively dewatering and purifying NMP waste. Our team of experts at Maratek use software such as Aspen HYSYS for simulation and SolidWorks to design and model columns.
Maratek's uniquely designed automated fractional distillation columns can assist battery manufacturers in recovering expensive solvents, like NMP, thereby reducing operational costs and supporting sustainable manufacturing. Recycling with recovery methods allows for solvent reuse, reducing the need for purchasing new virgin solvent and minimizing waste generation.
Maratek’s fractional distillation equipment is available in many standard ranges from 1-500+ gallons per hour of throughput. Maratek can also custom build, engineer and manufacture sizes above this capacity or for any complex mixtures that our clients are looking to separate. With over 50 years of engineering experience, Maratek can tackle any project, no matter the complexity.
Maratek’s distillation systems ensure fully automated continuous processing of the feed and the consequent collection and removal of the distillate (top) and the bottom products, respectively. They are equipped with state-of-the-art instruments and fully customizable for constant and reliable process monitoring to ensure operator and plant safety.
Fractional units are primarily used to obtain purified solvents that can be used in other manufacturing processes. They can either be designed as stand-alone systems or be integrated with Maratek’s Continuous Solvent Recycling Systems.
The trays/packing inside the fractional column allow the vapor rising up the column to reach vapor-liquid equilibrium with the liquid flowing downwards. This process helps separate the feed entering the column into solvent-rich and solvent-lean streams based on the relative volatility of the feed components. The solvent-rich stream is collected as the distillate at the top of the column while the solvent-lean stream (with traces of solvent, if any) is collected/removed from the bottom.
To improve process efficiency and enhance the purity of the solvent, boil-up and reflux streams are often introduced by recirculating vapor (by heating a part of the solvent-lean liquid) at the bottom and a portion of the condensed (solvent-rich) liquid at the top of the column.
Maratek Environmental Solvent Recycling Services
