POLAREX® Extractive Separations Technology Brochure

Pentair ’s POLAREX® technology provides chemical manufacturers, refiners and gas processors dramatically improved separation of entrained and dissolved contaminants relative to that achievable through implementation of conventional water wash or solvent scrubbing towers. Conventional approaches to washing or scrubbing are often limited by contact efficiency and subsequent separation efficiency, resulting in limited performance and large capital investments. The POLAREX® platform was developed utilizing our advanced micro and nano-fiber technology to create a single stage, high efficiency, structured contactor / separator.

The patented POLAREX® technology may be applied to the extraction of soluble components from either liquid or gas process streams. The POLAREX® technology has application to both contaminant removal (e.g. - caustic, dissolved acids, salts, acid gases or reaction by-products) as well as recovery of valuable products or solvents (e.g. – recover soluble amines from treated LPG) for as little as 20% of the capital associated with a conventional wash system.

Applied to batch chemical processes, the POLAREX® technology increases process speed and operational flexibility. Traditional approaches to neutralization or product washing require a lengthy neutralization or wash step followed by decanting and transfer. Not only do these steps slow reactor turn over, they also frequently result in carry over of salts and impurities due to the limited separation effectiveness of decanting, particularly with emulsified product / water mixtures. The POLAREX® technology allows neutralization or washing to proceed on-line during product transfer, allowing the wash / decant steps to be eliminated entirely.