Patent ID: 6252125
Filing Date: 2001-06-26
Classification: C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
A process for the production of 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC), comprising the steps of:(a) reacting ethylene with chlorine in liquid phase (direct chlorination) to yield a mixture comprising 1,2-dichloroethane and one or more heavy-end impurities or reaction by-products having boiling points higher than 1,2-dichloroethane;(b) separating said heavy-end impurities and by-products from the 1,2-dichloroethane by fractional distillation in a heavy-ends column said column having a top and a bottom;(c) removing the concentrated heavy-ends residue from the bottom of said fractional distillation column and feeding it to a vacuum column, wherein residual 1,2-dichloroethane is removed from the heavy-ends residue; and(d) passing one or more partial streams of 1,2-dichloroethane from the direct chlorination reactor through a heat exchanger for indirect heat exchange with the bottoms of the fractional distillation column and the vacuum column.