Patent ID: 6291714
Filing Date: 2001-09-18
Classification: B01J,C08G

Abstract:
A continuous process for the production of polyadducts of alkylene oxide on a chain initiator which has at least one active hydrogen, comprising the steps of;a) providing n reaction units, where n is a whole number from 2 to 100, each constituted by a tubular reactor (11), which is substantially vertical and has an upper part and a liquid-containing lower part, and a heat exchanger (14) downstream of the tubular reactor (11), the tubular reactor (11) having at least one first supply device (13) for supplying the alkylene oxide, at least one second supply device (12) and an outlet aperture (15), the devices (12),(13) being located on the inner surface of the upper part of tubular reactor (11) and above the liquid in the lower part;b) spraying the chain initiator into the reactor (11) of a first of the n reaction units through the at least one second supply device (12) and the alkylene oxide through the at least one first supply device (13) so as to permit the alkylene oxide to be absorbed by droplets of chain initiator;c) reacting the droplets of the chain initiator absorbed with the alkylene oxide to obtain a first liquid mixture containing an intermediate product;d) cooling the first liquid mixture;e) spraying the resultant cooled first liquid mixture into the reactor of a second of the n reaction units by means of the at least one second supply device (12) and the alkylene oxide by means of the at least one first supply device (13);f) reacting the first liquid mixture with the oxide to obtain a second liquid mixture;g) repeating the steps d), e) and f) in each of the remaining n-2 reaction units to obtain an nth liquid mixture containing the desired product; andh) cooling and discharging the nth liquid mixture containing the desired product.