The Dow Chemical Company

Thomas E Morris

Leopoldo Salinas, Iii

Michael T Holbrook

Gerald A Gimber

Tarver G Snedecor, Jr

Mark S Johnson

Roger L Juhl

Joseph F Repman

Thomas F Hill, Jr

Rae L Spencer

Arnold D Harley

William D Tasto

A method for oxychlorinating ethylene to ethylene dichloride utilizing a two reactor oxychlorination system in which the oxygen and hydrogen chloride feeds are split between the reactors such that the volume ratio of HCl fed to the first reactor to the HCl fed to the second reactor, and the volume ratio of O.sub.2 fed to the first reactor to the O.sub.2 fed to the second reactor are both in the range of about 50:50 to about 99:1.

Method of oxychlorination utilizing split feeds

Alumina is used as a support for the CuCl2 catalyst and as a diluent in the oxychlorination of ethylene. When a low surface area alumina, e.g. high purity alpha-alumina, is used as diluent for the reaction, reduced oxidation and less chlorinated by-products are achieved. Alternatively, the alumina used as the catalyst support, e.g. a gamma-alumina which has a high surface area and higher amounts of impurities, can be used as diluent if it is impregnated with an alkali metal ion, e.g K+ ion, which is usually employed as a salt.

Catalyst diluent for oxychlorination process

A method to purify impure gaseous hydrogen chloride containing an unsaturated chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminant in an amount less than that necessary to inhibit purification, comprising exposing the impure hydrogen chloride to an ultraviolet light source in the presence of gaseous chloride for a sufficient time for the gaseous chloride to react with organic impurities in the hydrogen chloride to form heavier organic compounds and thereafter separating the heavier compounds from the hydrogen chloride.

Purification of anhydrous hydrogen chloride

A catalyst, such as FeCl.sub.3, useful in the production of chlorinated hydrocarbons such as 1,1-dichloroethane is removed from the effluent of a process reactor and recycled. Hydrochloric acid is removed from the process stream resulting in the catalyst present in the process stream in solution precipitating out of solution. Then it can be removed from the process stream by conventional separation techniques. Alternatively, the catalyst present in the process stream as a solid, without the removal of HCl, is separated from the liquid present by means of a cyclone and recycled. In both cases, the catalyst retains its catalytic activity.

Removal and recycling of catalysts in chlorinated pricess streams

For measurement of chlorine concentration in a process stream, an improved device is set forth measuring light transmission in a selected frequency range. The preferred embodiment uses a light source, a light filter and an optical fiber extending to a pipe or other vessel with flowing chlorine. The light is transmitted from a lens system to another lens system and into a second optical fiber. The second fiber extends to a measuring device.

Chlorine analysis using fiber optics

This invention relates to an improved liquid phase chlorination process for the chlorination of methyl chloride to preferentially produce methylene chloride. The chlorine is provided to the reaction mixture in a mole percent, based upon the total moles of chlorine and methyl chloride in the mix, which ranges from about 16 mole percent to about 2 mole percent.

Liquid phase chlorination of chlorinated methanes

There is described a process in which a contaminated soil is freed of its contaminants and the solvent used to free and wash the contaminated soil is collected and reused and/or it is combusted and removed from the system in a form which will not contaminate the ambient atmosphere. All portions of this equipment are substantially gas tight and liquid tight and therefore eliminate or markedly reduce any further contamination of the ambient atmosphere with the contaminants found in the soil.

Process for removing contaminants from soils

The process is an improvement over the chlorination of EDC in a boiling bed. The reactants, chlorine and dichloroethane (either 1,1- or 1,2-) are mixed in the vapor phase and passed over a molecular sieve which serves as a catalyst to produce 1,1,2-trichloroethane.

Molecular sieves as catalysts for preparation of 1,1,2-trichloroethane

An apparatus for the recovery of solvents from coated parts during the drying step which consists of a means for heating the air used to dry the parts, an insulated drying chamber, a liquid spray scrubber, a refrigeration section to condense solvent and a cross-exchanger which allows air coming into the refrigeration section to be cooled by that exiting therefrom. The cooled solvent-lean air is then passed to the heating means before being recycled to the drying step.

Solvent recovery system

Minor amounts of olefin oxide such as butylene oxide are removed from a chlorinated solvent by contacting the solvent with the hydrogen form of a strong acid cation exchange resin in the presence of water.

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Lake Jackson, TX, United States of America

Thomas E Morris