The Lummus Company

Stephen J Sopko

Chiung-Yuan Huang

In the production of chlorinated hydrocarbons, a gas stream containing unreacted hydrocarbon, chlorinated hydrocarbon, carbon dioxide and inerts, such as, carbon monoxide and/or nitrogen, is contacted with a chlorinated hydrocarbon absorption oil to separate hydrocarbon, chlorinated hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide from inerts. The rich absorption solution is introduced into a stripper wherein chlorinated hydrocarbons are recovered as a sidestream, absorption solution as a bottoms and a hydrocarbon-carbon dioxide stream, containing a reduced amount of chlorinated hydrocarbons, as overhead. The overhead is introduced into a further absorption column, primarily designed to recover chlorinated hydrocarbons in the absorption solution, with a hydrocarbon overhead being withdrawn therefrom which is rich in carbon dioxide and is essentially free of low boiling chlorinated hydrocarbon, to thereby facilitate subsequent separation of carbon dioxide. The process is particularly applicable to the production of chlorinated methanes or vinyl chloride.

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Clark, NJ, United States of America

Stephen J Sopko