Progressive Recovery Systems
Progressive Recovery, Inc. (PRI) is North America’s leading manufacturer of solvent recycling systems. The company was organized in 1980 to address the need for safe, efficient and economical solutions for reducing or eliminating hazardous waste.
We at Solvent Recovery Systems work with PRI to assess your needs so their engineers can design a machine custom-fit specifically for your application. PRI solvent recycling systems are supported by engineering, design, manufacturing, quality assurance, service, and after-the-sale support. PRI solvent recycling has contributed innovative solutions to environmental waste problems at both Fortune 500 clients and privately held companies.
How it Works
Solvent recycling is accomplished by a distillation process which includes the following steps:
- A still (distillation) vessel is charged with a waste solution on a batch or continuous basis.
- A thermal oil jacket, electrically or steam heated, injects heat into the waste solvent by conductive thermal transfer.
- The still may be operated under vacuum, which lowers the boiling temperature of the solvent.
- When the solvent reaches its reduced boiling point, the solvent changes from liquid to a vapor (gas) at a controlled rate.
- The solvent, in a vapor phase, passes through the condenser which has both a condensing and a subcooling section. In the condenser, the solvent changes back to a liquid and is cooled back to ambient conditions.
- The contaminants (solids or non-volatile liquids) do not undergo a vapor phase, but stay behind as “still bottoms” to be discharged out the drain port.
Once non-volatile portions build up to concentrated levels, the “still bottoms’ are discharged. Another production run can then be initiated.