MEK | Methyl Ethyl Ketone | butanone | solvent recovery | activated carbon
DEC.SRU™ ♻️ SRU | SRS | SRP
DEC is a multinational Group headquartered in Milan (Italy), focused on engineering and supply of turn key sustainable industrial VOC and HAP emission control systems for the flexible packaging, chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical industries. Backed with 75+ years of global experience, thanks to products of the highest quality, patented and/or innovative processes, with thousands of systems in operation, we are facing the global challenges, focusing on innovative sustainable technologies and research.
We are a recognized leader in sustainable development and known for providing unparalleled customer support and creating leading-edge technologies. We're proud of our legacy of innovation and excited about our future. Growth opportunities abound and DEC is poised to capture them: our employees are creating superior processes, technologies, products and services that make a difference in the lives of people everywhere.
In industrial manufacturing processes, the management of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is a critical challenge, balancing regulatory compliance, environmental stewardship, and operational efficiency. Among these VOCs, MEK | butanone | Methyl Ethyl Ketone, a widely used solvent in coatings, adhesives, pharmaceuticals, and printing, poses significant emission concerns due to its volatility and potential health and environmental impacts. Traditional methods of VOC disposal, such as thermal oxidation, often incur high costs, waste valuable resources, and contribute to carbon footprints.
When looking to streamline your solvent management, MEK (Methyl Ethyl Ketone) recovery is a game-changer for industries aiming to cut costs and boost sustainability. Whether you’re exploring the best methods for MEK recovery in solvent recycling or curious about how to recover MEK solvent efficiently, our cutting-edge solutions deliver up to >95% reclamation rates. From solvent recovery systems for MEK recycling to advanced MEK recovery for solvent sustainability, we provide eco-friendly, cost-effective options tailored to your needs. Dive into our guide to MEK solvent recovery technology and discover how easy it is to reduce waste, comply with regulations, and enhance your bottom line—click now to learn more!
MEK | butanone | Methyl Ethyl Ketone • VOC emission control
MEK’s effectiveness as a solvent is matched by its propensity to volatilize, making it a prime target for stringent VOC regulations worldwide. Industries relying on MEK face dual pressures: minimizing atmospheric emissions to meet legal standards (e.g. US Clean Air Act, EU Industrial Emission Directive) while reducing solvent consumption to cut costs.
MEK | butanone | Methyl Ethyl Ketone • activated carbon
Activated carbon adsorption has long been a cornerstone of VOC control, leveraging its vast porous surface area to trap solvent molecules from exhaust streams. This robust technology offers high removal efficiencies and the promise of solvent reuse, making it an attractive environmental and economic solution. However, when dealing specifically with ketone (e.g. Methyl Ethyl Ketone - MEK), the widespread adoption of traditional carbon regeneration methods, particularly steam stripping (DEC.RSV™), introduces a complex array of drawbacks that undermine safety, efficiency, and scalability, pushing the boundaries for innovation in recovery technologies.
The primary safety concern with MEK adsorption lies in its exothermic nature. While the adsorption process itself releases heat, MEK can become usntable potentially creating localized superheated zones (hot spots), determining thermal runaways and even ignition. The presence of steam and high temperatures significantly promotes oxidation reactions on the carbon surface, leading to the formation of undesirable byproducts.
MEK adsorption on activated carbon is exothermic, creating risks of thermal runaway (hot spot). Under steam regeneration (DEC.RSV™), MEK undergoes oxidation, forming byproducts such as diacetyl (2,3-butanedione) and 2,3-butanediol (BDO), which signal uncontrolled reaction pathways. More critically, this process generates unstable organic peroxides (e.g., MEK hydroperoxide, MEKP), highly sensitive to heat and shock, that pose significant explosion risks.
MEK | butanone | Methyl Ethyl Ketone • inert gas renerated solvent recovery
The integration of hot nitrogen regeneration (DEC.RSG™) hot nitrogen regeneration addresses these limitations, offering a safer, more efficient pathway to reactivate carbon beds and recover high-purity MEK. Nitrogen, an inert gas, eliminates combustion risks during the high-temperature desorption phase, ensuring operational safety while maintaining the structural integrity of the carbon. This "dry regeneration" eliminates the post-regeneration drying time and related energy expenditure. The result is a streamlined process that increases safety, preserves carbon lifespan and maximizes solvent recovery rates.
DEC pioneered the world’s first hot inert gas (nitrogen) regeneration process for activated carbon solvent recovery in the 1980s with the revolutionary DEC.RSG™ process. This proprietary technology employs heated nitrogen to thermally desorb solvents from carbon beds, releasing high-purity vapors that are condensed and reclaimed.
In 1992, DEC achieved another industry milestone by deploying its DEC.RSG™ process for MEK | butanone | Methyl Ethyl Ketone recovery, the first commercial application of nitrogen-regenerated activated carbon specifically tailored for MEK. For over three decades since this landmark installation, DEC’s system has remained the gold standard for recovering MEK and complex solvent mixtures, combining unmatched safety, efficiency, and reliability.
The DEC.RSG™ process is a hot nitrogen regeneration process for activated carbon Solvent Recovery Units (SRUs): a safe and efficient process that avoids hot spots and fire on activated carbon. The DEC.RSG™ process is used to recover a variety of solvents, including ketones (e.g. MEK - Methyl Ethyl Ketone, ACEK - acetone, CHXK - Cyclohexanone, MIBK - methyl isobutyl ketone, etc.).
Market Leader
DEC leads the way in VOC recovery solutions. Our unrivalled technical expertise and experience in sustainable solvent recovery systems make us the world's leading contractor: no other entity has the same breadth and depth of experience or talented inert gas activated carbon solvent recovery engineering resource. This is reflected in our long-term alliances and service agreements with most of the industry's leading companies.
MEK | butanone | Methyl Ethyl Ketone recovery • LTKW
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