Method for increasing the productivity of chemical reactors

Abstract

1. In the vapor phase reaction of F.sub.2 with a member selected from the group consisting of ClF.sub.3, Cl.sub.2, BrF.sub.3, BR.sub.2 and SF.sub.4, at elevated pressures and temperatures in a chemical reactor, carried out batch-wise so that reactant gases and product gases are permitted to mix; the improvement which comprises increasing the production capacity of the chemical reactor by raising the temperature of the reactor and contents non-uniformly with respect to position in the reactor so that the reactant and product gases are subjected to different temperature zones depending on their position in the reactor, the temperature of at least one of said zones being high enough to initiate and maintain the reaction therein, the temperature differential between at least two zones of different temperature being at least 3% of the maximum temperature attained in the reactor when measured on the Kelvin scale.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.