| abstract |
Small amounts of inert gaseous components in admixture with ethylene oxide and water vapor are removed therefrom, and the ethylene oxide recovered as an aqueous fraction, by (a) cooling the mixture so as to effect its partial condensation; (b) phase separating the partially condensed mixture into condensate and vapor fractions; (c) separately cooling the condensate and vapor fractions to a temperature no lower than 11* C; (d) countercurrently contacting the cooled condensate with at least a portion of the cooled vapor fraction in an ethylene oxide reabsorption zone; and (e) removing from the reabsorption zone an inerts vent as overhead and an aqueous ethylene oxide fraction, substantially free of inerts, as bottoms. |