Vertical continuous reactor and process for liquid epoxy resin

A process for the continuous preparation of liquid epoxy resins which comprises

• contacting reactant materials for producing the liquid epoxy resins in a top compartment of a vertical reactor apparatus,
• flowing reaction product and by-products of reaction of the reactant materials from the top compartment of the reactor apparatus to at least one more compartment of the reactor system and adding additional catalyst or reactant materials or both to the at least one more compartment for further reaction.
• withdrawing vapor reaction products from each of the compartments, and
• withdrawing the liquid epoxy resins from a lower portion of the reactor apparatus, said vertical reactor apparatus comprising
• a vessel into which reactant materials for producing the reaction product flow and from which the reaction product and byproducts are withdrawn,
• the vessel divided by a plurality of plates into a plurality of intercommunicating compartments in substantially vertical alignment, including at least a top and a bottom compartment, the reactant materials flowable from the top compartment, through intermediate compartments, if any, and thence to the bottom compartment, each intermediate compartment having a top plate and a bottom plate,
• said compartments having a vapor outlet for discharging vapor reaction products resulting from reactions in the compartment,
• said compartments having a reactant inlet for introducing reactant materials into the compartment, a catalyst inlet for introducing catalyst into the compartment and a solvent inlet for introducing a solvent into each compartment,
• stirring means in each of the said compartments, for agitating the reactant materials therein, the stirring means comprising a rotatable shaft extending through each intermediate compartment's top plate and bottom plate with a liquid-tight seal about the shaft in each intermediate compartment to inhibit liquid leakage between compartments, an impeller mounted to the rotatable shaft in each compartment,
• the vessel having inlet means through which reactant materials are introduced into the top compartment, and
• the bottom compartment having discharge means through which the reaction product is withdrawn.

A process for the continuous preparation of liquid epoxy resins which comprises

• contacting bisphenol A, epichlorohydrin and sodium hydroxide in a top compartment of a vertical reactor apparatus,
• flowing reaction product and by-products of reaction of the bisphenol A, epichlorohydrin and sodium hydroxide from the top compartment of the reactor apparatus to at least one more compartment of the reactor apparatus and adding additional sodium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide and either or both bisphenol A or epichlorohydrin to the at least one more compartment for further reaction,
• agitating the reactant materials in the compartments with an impeller rotatably mounted in the a least one more compartment, the impeller inducing radial flow of the reactant materials,
• introducing into the apparatus a solvent and removing by product water from each compartment in a codistillate of the solvent and water,
• withdrawing vapor reaction products from each of the compartments, and
• withdrawing diglycidyl ethers of dihydric phenols from a lower portion of the reactor apparatus and wherein said vertical reactor apparatus comprises
• a vessel into which reactant materials for producing the liquid epoxy resins flow and from which the resulting liquid epoxy resins and by-products are withdrawn,
• the vessel divided by a plurality of plates into a plurality of intercommunicating compartments in substantially vertical alignment, including at least a top and a bottom compartment, the reactant materials flowable from the top compartment, through intermediate compartments, if any, and thence to the bottom compartment, each intermediate compartment having a top plate and a bottom plate,
• said compartments having a vapor outlet for discharging vapor reaction products resulting from reactions in the compartment,
• said compartments having a reactant inlet for introducing reactant materials into the compartment,
• stirring means in each compartment for agitating the reactant materials therein, the stirring means comprising a rotatable shaft sealingly extending through the compartments, a motor connected to the shaft exteriorly of the vessel for rotating the shaft, and an impeller in each compartment secured to the shaft, the impeller inducing radial flow in the reactant materials, a liquid-tight seal above the shaft in each intermediate compartment to inhibit liquid leakage between compartments,
• the vessel having inlet means through which reactant materials are introduced into the top compartment,
• the bottom compartment having discharge means through which the liquid epoxy resins produced by the reactions in the compartments are withdrawn,
• a catalyst inlet communicating with each compartment for feeding catalyst into each compartment, and
• a solvent inlet communicating with each compartment for feeding a solvent into each compartment.