Apparatus for the production of ethylene dichloride

Apparatus for making ethylene dichloride by reacting ethylene and chlorine in a liquid reaction medium of ethylene dichloride, comprising:

• a. a vertically disposed reaction vessel for effecting reaction between the ethylene and chlorine, having at least one inlet each for the ethylene and the chlorine positioned in the lower portion thereof, the reaction vessel having an upper outlet and a lower inlet for the reaction medium to be circulated therethrough, the upper outlet being located below the liquid level, the reaction vessel further having a vapor outlet located in the upper portion thereof above the liquid level;
• b. indirect heat exchange means located externally of the vertically disposed reaction vessel for removing heat of reaction from the reaction medium, the indirect heat exchange means having an upper inlet and a lower outlet for the reaction medium to be circulated therethrough;
• c. a conduit connecting the upper outlet of the reaction vessel with the upper inlet of the heat exchange means;
• d. a conduit connecting the lower inlet of the reaction vessel with the lower outlet of the heat exchange means;
• to establish a path for continuous circulation of the reaction medium through the reaction vessel and the heat exchange means predominantly caused by the thermosyphon effect generated by heat of reaction and/or the gas-lift effect induced by introduction of the reactants;
• and further comprising
• e. condensor means in communication with the vapor outlet of the reaction vessel for condensing ethylene dichloride product vapor to recover liquid ethylene dichloride product;
• and
• f. conduit means associated with the condensor means for discharging condensed ethylene dichloride product from the apparatus.