Process for recovering pentafluoroethane, and production method of pentafluoroethane involving the process

1. A process for recovering pentafluoroethane, comprising bringing a mixed gas containing pentafluoroethane and a non-condensable gas into contact with a chlorinated solvent to allow the chlorinated solvent to absorb pentafluoroethane contained in the mixed gas,

wherein the mixed gas is a gas separated during production of pentafluoroethane, and

wherein the mixed gas is a low-boiling fraction (C) occurring during the production of pentafluoroethane, the low-boiling fraction (C) being obtained by:

(A) separating and recovering a gas component (A) by distillation, the gas component (A) containing at least pentafluoroethane and a non-condensable gas; and

(C) separating the gas component (A) into a high-boiling fraction (C′) and a low-boiling fraction (C), the high-boiling fraction (C′) being based on pentafluoroethane and the low-boiling fraction (C) containing pentafluoroethane and the non-condensable gas.

2. The process for recovering pentafluoroethane according to claim 1 , wherein the concentration of pentafluoroethane in the mixed gas is in the range of 0.1 to 50% by volume.

3. The process for recovering pentafluoroethane according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed gas is brought into contact with the chlorinated solvent at a temperature of the chlorinated solvent in the range of −50 to 50° C.

4. The process for recovering pentafluoroethane according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed gas is a low-boiling fraction (C) occurring during the production of pentafluoroethane, the low-boiling fraction (C) being obtained by:

(A) separating and recovering a gas component (A) by distillation, the gas component (A) containing at least chloropentafluoroethane and pentafluoroethane;

(B) bringing the gas component (A) into contact with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to remove chloropentafluoroethane and to obtain a gas component (B) containing at least pentafluoroethane and hydrogen; and

(C) separating the gas component (B) into a high-boiling fraction (C′) and a low-boiling fraction (C), the high-boiling fraction (C′) being based on pentafluoroethane and the low-boiling fraction (C) containing at least pentafluoroethane and hydrogen.

5. The process for recovering pentafluoroethane according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed gas is a low-boiling fraction (C) and/or a low-boiling fraction (E) occurring during the production of pentafluoroethane, the low-boiling fraction (C) and the low-boiling fraction (E) being obtained by:

(A) separating and recovering a gas component (A) by distillation, the gas component (A) containing at least pentafluoroethane;

(C) separating the gas component (A) into a low-boiling fraction (C) and a high-boiling fraction (C′), the low-boiling fraction (C) containing at least pentafluoroethane and the high-boiling fraction (C′) being based on pentafluoroethane;

(D) bringing the high-boiling fraction (C′) into contact with oxygen and/or an oxygen-containing compound in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a gas component (D); and

(E) separating the gas component (D) into a high-boiling fraction (E) and a low-boiling fraction (E), the high-boiling fraction (E) being based on pentafluoroethane and the low-boiling fraction (E) containing at least pentafluoroethane, and oxygen and/or the oxygen-containing compound.

6. The process for recovering pentafluoroethane according to claim 1 , wherein the mixed gas is a low-boiling fraction (C) and/or a low-boiling fraction (E) occurring during the production of pentafluoroethane, the low-boiling fraction (C) and the low-boiling fraction (E) being obtained by:

(A) separating and recovering a gas component (A) by distillation, the gas component (A) containing at least chloropentafluoroethane and pentafluoroethane;

(B) bringing the gas component (A) into contact with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to remove chloropentafluoroethane and to obtain a gas component (B) containing at least pentafluoroethane and hydrogen;

(C) separating the gas component (B) into a low-boiling fraction (C) and a high-boiling fraction (C′), the low-boiling fraction (C) containing at least pentafluoroethane and hydrogen and the high-boiling fraction (C′) being based on pentafluoroethane;

(D) bringing the high-boiling fraction (C′) into contact with oxygen and/or an oxygen-containing compound in the presence of a catalyst to obtain a gas component (D); and

(E) separating the gas component (D) into a high-boiling fraction (E) and a low-boiling fraction (E), the high-boiling fraction (E) being based on pentafluoroethane and the low-boiling fraction (E) containing at least pentafluoroethane, and oxygen and/or the oxygen-containing compound.

7. The process for recovering pentafluoroethane according to claim 1 , wherein the chlorinated solvent is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of dichloromethane, trichloromethane, tetrachloromethane, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, 1,1,1,2-tetrachloroethane, pentachloroethane, dichloroethylene, trichloroethylene and tetrachloroethylene.

8. The process for recovering pentafluoroethane according to claim 1 , wherein the non-condensable gas is at least one gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon monoxide.

9. A process for producing pentafluoroethane, wherein the chlorinated solvent including pentafluoroethane that is obtained by the recovering process according to claim 1 is used as a raw material of pentafluoroethane without separating pentafluoroethane.

10. A process for producing pentafluoroethane, comprising the steps of:

(I) fluorinating tetrachloroethylene and then recovering a crude pentafluoroethane by distillation which contains at least chloropentafluoroethane and pentafluoroethane;

(II) bringing the crude pentafluoroethane into contact with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst to remove chloropentafluoroethane, and then separating the product into a low-boiling fraction (II) and a high-boiling fraction (II), the low-boiling fraction (II) containing at least pentafluoroethane and hydrogen and the high-boiling fraction (II) being based on pentafluoroethane;

(III) bringing the high-boiling fraction (II) into contact with oxygen and/or an oxygen-containing compound in the presence of a catalyst, and then separating the product into a high-boiling fraction (III) and a low-boiling fraction (III), the high-boiling fraction (III) being based on pentafluoroethane and the low-boiling fraction (III) containing at least pentafluoroethane, and oxygen and/or the oxygen-containing compound;

(IV) bringing the low-boiling fraction (II) and/or the low-boiling fraction (III) into contact with a chlorinated solvent to allow the chlorinated solvent to absorb pentafluoroethane; and

(V) subjecting the chlorinated solvent including pentafluoroethane to production of pentafluoroethane without separating pentafluoroethane to produce pentafluoroethane.

11. The process for producing pentafluoroethane according to claim 9 , wherein the chlorinated solvent is tetrachloroethylene.

12. The process for producing pentafluoroethane according to claim 10 , wherein the chlorinated solvent is tetrachloroethylene.