Vapor–liquid behavior of phenol and cumene in ternary and quaternary mixtures

BACKGROUND: Although phenol is a key intermediate in the plastics and polycarbonate industry, it also toxic component that requires removal from dilute aqueous streams, potentially by liquid–liquid extraction (LLX). For LLX, cumene suggested as solvent already present processes industry. recovery of distillation, knowledge on vapor–liquid equilibrium (VLE) behavior important, combination with how this affected other components possibly an impurity or explicitly added solvent. This was investigated work. RESULTS: The binary cumene–phenol system shows tangent pinch VLE diagram. Addition range impurities solvents showed hydrogen bond accepting compounds strongly improve relative volatility mixture, whereas dodecane, not capable forming bonds, has negative effect volatility. CONCLUSION: polar bonding abilities, i.e. ketones ethers, over most positively. Combining two types results similar effects, clear synergistic effects could be shown based current measurements. apolar abilities had only minor