Manufacture of perchloroethylene by chlorinating hydrocarbons and partially chlorinated hydrocarbons in the presence of hydrogen
AssigneeVulcan Materials Company
InventorsJimmie T. Petrosky, Steven R. Hieger, Evert E. Gannaway, Charles R. Cupit
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Perchloroethylene and hydrogen chloride are made by noncatalytic thermal chlorination of hydrocarbons and/or their partially chlorinated derivatives by reacting them with chlorine in the presence of hydrogen and carbon tetrachloride as a reactive diluent, under conditions which maximize consumption of carbon tetrachloride and minimize the production of heavy ends, such as hexachlorobenzene and other tarry products.
Claims27
A noncatalytic thermal process for making perchloroethylene by chlorination of a hydrocarbon feedstock, partially chlorinated hydrocarbon feedstock, or mixture thereof, under conditions which maximize consumption of carbon tetrachloride, which process comprises introducing the following materials into a mixing zone:
- (a) said feedstock having the formula C.sub.x H.sub.y Cl.sub.z, wherein x=1 to 3, y=1 to 8 and z=0 to 6, provided that y+z equals 2x+2 when the compound is saturated and equals 2x when the compound contains one double bond;
- (b) chlorine and elemental hydrogen, the chlorine being introduced in an amount sufficient to convert said feedstock to perchloroethylene and leave unreacted chlorine in the resulting converted reaction mixture;
- and
- (c) carbon tetrachloride as a reactive diluent in an amount sufficient to maintain the reaction temperature between about 500.degree. and about 700.degree. C.;
- discharging the resulting mixture from said mixing zone into a reaction zone wherein the temperature of the mixture is maintained within said temperature range and wherein carbon tetrachloride is consumed and perchloroethylene is produced;
- and withdrawing a product mixture which comprises perchloroethylene from the reaction zone, condensing the product mixture, and separating perchloroethylene from the product mixture.
The process of claim 10, wherein the resulting mixture is introduced into the reaction zone from the mixing zone with a velocity of between about 60 and about 77 meters per second.
A noncatalytic thermal process for making perchloroethylene by chlorination of ethylene dichloride under conditions which maximize consumption of carbon tetrachloride, which process comprises introducing the following materials into a mixing zone:
- (a) ethylene dichloride;
- (b) chlorine and elemental hydrogen, the chlorine being introduced in an amount sufficient to convert ethylene dichloride to perchloroethylene and to leave unreacted chlorine in the resulting converted product mixture;
- and
- (c) carbon tetrachloride as a reactive diluent in an amount sufficient to maintain the reaction temperature between about 575.degree. and about 625.degree. C.;
- discharging the resulting mixture from said mixing zone into a reaction zone wherein the temperature of the mixture is maintained within said temperature range and wherein carbon tetrachloride is consumed and perchloroethylene is produced;
- and withdrawing a product mixture which comprises perchloroethylene from the reaction zone, condensing the product mixture, and separating perchloroethylene from the product mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.