Process for the generation of chlorine dioxide

A process for the rapid preparation of chlorine dioxide under reduced pressure, consisting essentially of the steps of providing an aqueous chlorate solution, a gaseous stream of substantially anhydrous hydrogen chloride, a column having a first end and a second end, a venturi being disposed near the first end of the column, the venturi having an inlet and an outlet, a reaction chamber being connected to the column adjacent to the venturi, the reaction chamber being in direct fluid communication with the inlet of the venturi;

• introducing a driving medium into the inlet of the venturi thereby creating a suction effect;
• introducing the aqueous chlorate solution into the reaction chamber, introducing the gaseous stream of substantially anhydrous hydrogen chloride into the reaction chamber concurrently with introduction of the chlorate solution wherein chlorine dioxide and chlorine are produced within the reaction chamber with a retention time of less than one one-hundredth of a second, the chlorine dioxide and chlorine being drawn by the suction effect into the column at the inlet of the venturi nozzle such that mixture of the driving medium, the chlorine dioxide and the chlorine takes place in the column at the inlet of the venturi nozzle, and introducing a chlorite solution in the column near the second end of the column wherein the co-produced chlorine is substantially reacted with the chlorite solution.