| abstract |
A method as disclosed for the recovery of N-alkylated lactams and particularly N-methyl pyrrolidone which may become entrained in gas streams treated with such materials. The lactams are useful, specific, absorbing solvents used in the sweetening and dehydrating of natural gases and also for the selective solvation of various components or impurities from mixed gas streams. During such treatments, the lactams become vaporized or entrained in the gas streams. In the process of this invention, the entrained N-alkyllactam is selectively recovered by the treatment of the gas stream with liquid solvents for the N-alkyllactam. Among suitable solvents for the recovery of the usually used lactams, including methyl pyrrolidone, are the tri- and tetra ethylene glycols and the higher boiling N-alkyl pyrrolidones including N-cyclohexyl pryyolidone. |