From Waste to Value: Large Scale Solvent Recovery Success Story

A Complex Industrial Challenge: Costly Waste Stream and Azeotropic Barrier 

A global provider of advanced chemicals across sectors such as crop protection, pharmaceuticals, and performance chemicals. was facing rising operational costs caused by a solvent based waste stream and the continuous need to purchase fresh solvent. Although the customer knew that a solvent recycling service could significantly reduce expenses, all past attempts at solvent recovery had failed due to a persistent water/solvent azeotrope that made traditional distillation impossible. 
The waste stream also contained corrosive components, raising concerns that only highcost, specialized equipment could handle the process—further delaying the adoption of an industrial solvent recycling solution. 

SEQENS R&D Expertise: Tailored Treatment and Azeotrope Bypass Technology 

When the customer engaged SEQENS for an advanced solvent recycling service, the project began in SEQENS’ kiloscale R&D facility, where experienced scientists conducted indepth analytical work and process development. 
The team identified an effective pretreatment strategy to neutralize corrosive species, immediately reducing waste treatment costs and maintenance expenses. 
To overcome the azeotropic limitation, SEQENS designed a bespoke solvent recovery process incorporating a targeted drying agent. This innovative approach removed water from the mixture, bypassing the azeotrope and enabling separation—where conventional distillation and previous solvent recycling attempts had failed. 

Rapid ScaleUp: From Lab Innovation to a 100Tonne Industrial Trial 

Because waste disposal costs continued to rise, the client required a fast and reliable solvent recycling service. SEQENS mobilized a dedicated team of engineers and scientists, accelerating the transition from lab development to industrial scale. 
Within only a few months, the project advanced to a fullscale trial that successfully recovered 100 tons of material, demonstrating the robustness and efficiency of the newly developed process. 
Comprehensive safety and operability studies accompanied every stage, ensuring that the industrial implementation of this solvent recovery service met the highest safety and reliability standards. 

Long Term Benefits: Cost Savings, Circularity, and Supply Chain Security 

SEQENS deployed the new process in its modular, multipurpose production plants, enabling flexible and efficient largescale solvent recycling. Multiple passes through highcapacity vacuum distillation columns delivered a highpurity recovered solvent, fully aligned with the customer’s specifications. 
SEQENS’ integrated storage and logistics capabilities allowed the customer to send waste streams directly to SEQENS and receive recycled solvent as needed—optimizing storage, reducing downtime, and improving onsite efficiency. 
What was once considered an unworkable waste stream became a viable industrial solvent recycling service, improving the client’s sustainability performance, reducing emissions linked to virgin solvent production, and lowering overall waste volumes. 

Thanks to SEQENS’ UK tolling sites (Middlesbrough and Billingham), the client also mitigated supply chain risks by relying on a local, trusted solvent recovery service provider with no CAPEX investment required.