Abstract:
THERE IS PROVIDED A PROCESS FOR ISOLATING ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, INCLUDING POLYMERS OR COPOLYMERS FROM AN ORGANIC SOLUTIN THEREOF. THE ORGANIC SOLUTION IS INTRODUCED INTO A VORTEX CHAMBER AT A POINT ADJACENT TO THE PERIPHERY OF THE CYLINDRICAL SIDE WALL OF THE VORTEX CHAMBER WHEREIN IT IS BROUGHT IN CONTACT WITH A VORTEX FLOW OF WATER OF A TEMPERATURE NEAR THE BOILING POINT OF THE SOLVENT UNDER THE PREVAILING PRESSURE. THE ORGANIC SOLUTION OF WHICH THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY HAS TO BE LOWER THAN THAT OF WATER IS DISPERSED IN THE WATER PHASE AT A POINT AWAY FROM THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE LIQUID AND THE HOLLOW CORE IN THE VORTEX FLOW. TO INCREASE THE SPECIFIC GRAVITY, DISSOLVED SALTS OR SUSPENDED SUBSTANCES MAY BE ADDED TO THE WATER PHASE. THE ORGANIC SOLUTION MAY BE ADDED TO THE WATER IMMEDIATELY BEFORE IT ENTERS THE VORTEX FLOW OR MAY BE SUPPLIED THROUGH AN AXIALLY OR RADIALLY DISPOSED FEED PIPE TO THE WATER PHASE OF THE VORTEX FLOW.