Apparatus and method for continuous production of polyethylene glycol dinitrate

A reaction apparatus for producing polyethylene glycol dinitrate (PEGDN) in a continuous manner, wherein the reaction apparatus comprises:

• a series of reaction cells spatially disposed in one or more planar structures, wherein the plurality of reaction cells include:
• a feed preparation section having feedstreams for continuously providing an acid composition and a glycol composition to reaction cells thereof, wherein the acid composition includes a mixture of dilute nitric acid and concentrated sulphuric acid,
• a nitration section in which the acid composition and the glycol composition react in reaction cells in a continuous manner to generate a reaction composition, and
• a quench and neutralization section having a feed for a cooling arrangement for cooling reaction cells to avoid spatial reaction hotspots and thereby preventing thermal runaway occurring within the reaction apparatus, and a plurality of feeds for providing an alkaline composition to at least partially neutralize the reaction composition to cause at least a portion of the polyethylene glycol dinitrate to deposit from a solution of the reaction composition;
• and
• a separation arrangement for separating polyethylene glycol dinitrate (PEGDN) and Ammonium Nitrate, wherein the separation arrangement is a thin film evaporator and/or falling film evaporator.