Deacidification , acid removal from organic solution

Ion Exchange reactions such deacidification process, can be operated in most of the organic solutions except for strong oxidizing agent creating hazardous conditions.

A special care on the mechanical and chemical strength of the resin will be brought for solvent creating an important swelling of the beads, generating osmotic shocks during the regeneration, or difficult process conditions such as temperature or concentration of the organic solution. Macroporous copolymer with higher DVB crosslinking are generally preferred to standard resins. Lenntech technical team can help for the best choice.

The deacidification of an organic solvent will be performed on a Weak Base Anion (WBA) resin or a Strong Base Anion (SBA) resin, depending the strength of the acid to be removed (pKa) and the stability of the organic solution to alkaline conditions.

As example, a WBA resin is preferred for the formic acid removal from a formaldehyde solution, in order to avoid the alkaline pH.

An other well know application is the deacidification of phenol-acetone streams, boths WBA or SBA can be used.

For organic solution not miscible with water, as regenerant is a diluted caustic soda, the regeneration is using a third solvent which is miscible in both (organic solvent, and water). The displacement of water from the resin using the third solvent is call "sweetening on", and the displacement of the organic solvent from the resin is called "sweetening off".

Acetone could be the third solvent to be used for the deacidification of phenol previously described.