Method for the production of polyadducts of alkylene oxides with a liquid in gas dispersion reactor

A semi-continuous process for the production of polyadducts of alkylene oxides, by the addition reaction of alkylene oxide on a chain initiator which has at least one active hydrogen, characterised in that it includes the steps of:

• providing a reactor (1) constituted by a cylindrical body with two diameters, arranged with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical, with the upper part of the cylindrical body of a greater diameter than the lower part, and the reactor (1) having inlet (8, 10) and outlet (12) apertures, equipment (9) for atomising the reaction mixture and equipment (11) for atomising the alkylene, oxide, the atomising equipment (9, 11) being located and arranged over the entire inner surface of the upper part of the reactor (1);
• loading the reactor (1) with a predetermined volume of liquid including the chain initiator;
• discharging the liquid through the outlet aperture (12) and bringing it to a predetermined reaction temperature by means of heat-exchange means (2);
• atomising the liquid by means of the atomising equipment (9) and introducing the alkylene oxide through the atomising equipment (11) to obtain an intermediate liquid reaction product which forms a mixture with the liquid chain initiator;
• recycling the mixture obtained continuously after it has been brought back to the predetermined reaction temperature, by atomising it in the upper part of the reactor by means of the atomising equipment (9) and making it react with a further quantity of alkylene oxide in order to obtain a final product with the desired chain length.