A gas-gas phase contactor/process, especially adopted for high temperature reactions, e.g., for the production of hydrochloric acid, comprises means for separately establishing at least two disparate gaseous feedstreams, means for disintegrating each such feedstream into a registered plurality of substreams thereof, one of each such substream being complementary to at least one eother, and means for establishing homogeneous unit volumes of gaseous reaction mixture which comprise said complementary fractions of each such disintegrated feedstream.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to process/apparatus for carrying out 
reactions between at least two gaseous phases, in particular at high 
temperature and, more particularly, for the direct synthesis of 
hydrochloric acid. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
It is known to this art that, typically, reactions featuring gas-liquid 
contact give rise to a problem as regards the quality or efficacy of the 
contacting between such plural, disparate phases. 
In French Patent No. 2,257,326, it was first proposed to form pairs, each 
constituted of an element of volume of liquid and an element of volume of 
gas, in accordance with which a given assemblage of trajectories was 
established for contacting substances which therefore occur in different 
phases, wherein at least one gaseous phase serves to form an axially 
symmetrical helically spinning flow configuration, and at least one liquid 
phase is introduced along the axis of symmetry of said axial flow-vortex 
flow configuration, into the region in which there is a relative 
depression in said axial flow-vortex flow configuration, the momentum of 
the elements of volume of the axial helically spinning flow configuration 
with respect to that of the elements of volume of the axial phase being 
such that said axial spinning flow configuration causes the axial phase to 
be distintegrated, dispersed and entrained, and possibly treated by the 
axial spinning flow configuration within the associations of elements of 
volume of the disparate phases (gas-liquid pairs) which are thus formed. 
The momentary existence of such "donor-acceptor pairs" of energy and/or 
matter was utilized (French Patent No. 2,508,818) to provide for selective 
distribution of energy based upon virtually instantaneous, systematic and 
oriented distribution of the particles by and throughout the driving gas: 
(i) virtually instantaneous because it corresponds to conditions of 
high-energy mixing (ratio between the initial amounts of momentum); 
(ii) systematic because it associates an element of the driving gas with 
each element of fluid, initially axial, without omission or repetition, 
and 
(iii) oriented because it defines an origin of the treatment and an initial 
trajectory which are common to the driving gas and to the elements of the 
other fluids which are entrained. 
The reactions which take place at high temperature constitute an attractive 
aspect for prospective application of such concept. 
The method heretofore employed by the assignee hereof in the case of 
gas-liquid contact makes it possible to supply the energy necessary to 
establish the beginning of the main reaction in the gaseous phase by way 
of the initial gaseous phase. The time required for creation, systematic 
distribution and vaporization of the reactants of the initial liquid is 
thus utilized to produce a homogeneous mix of the initial gas and the 
vapor of the liquid on a scale and under physical-chemical conditions such 
that the principal reaction in gaseous homogenous phase may take place 
under optimum conditions. 
The above-indicated time may be considered as corresponding to a delayed 
effect, the advantage of which may be taken in the case of gas-liquid 
contact. 
On the other hand, in that situation wherein the reactants are supplied in 
gaseous state, the problem which arises is that of obtaining the same 
quality of intimately admixing the substances which are to be brought 
together, as in the case of contact between a gaseous phase and a liquid 
phase in accordance with the aforesaid process, before the commencement of 
the particularly rapid reaction in the gaseous phase. 
Also to be considered is the fact that it is deliberately intended to 
conduct such operations at elevated temperatures and therefore within 
ranges where the reaction speeds are even faster, which may result in 
local incompatible distortion phenomena on the reaction profiles in regard 
to levels of concentration and therefore temperatures. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, a major object of the present invention is the provision of 
improved process/apparatus for interreaction between gas-gas phases, the 
same being comparable to reactions of gas-liquid type, as hereinbefore 
described, and said phases being initially gaseous. 
Briefly according to the invention, at least two separate gas flows, or 
phases, are injected into a mixing zone in which: 
(a) by pre-dividing or subdividing each flowstream, a plurality or 
repetitive units of elementary reaction mixtures are formed from said 
pre-divided flowstreams, and 
(b) advantageously, there is imparted to the elementary reaction mixtures 
an overall movement of entrainment from at least one of the flowstreams 
serving to form the elementary mixtures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
More particularly according to the present invention, featured is the 
formation or establishment of homogeneous unit volumes of homogeneous 
elementary reaction mixtures prior to the commencement of reaction, which 
reaction is all the faster insofar as it takes place between gaseous 
phases. Said homogeneous elementary reaction mixtures must, therefore, be 
constituted within a period of time, the length of which decreases in 
proportion to an increasing speed of reaction. 
The gases being available at a given pressure and therefore at a given 
speed of injection, the elementary mixtures are constituted all the more 
rapidly in that same occurs on a small scale. 
The range of a jet on issuing or injection from an orifice being 
proportional to the diameter of the orifice and independent of the flow 
chart, the plurality of means for generating the elementary mixtures will 
therefore advantageously comprise closely adjacent orifices having small 
dimensions. 
In practice, in a simple embodiment of the invention, each flowstream of 
gas is pre-divided or preliminarily disintegrated by means of a plurality 
of injectors, such as pairs of adjacent orifices. 
Such units, which are repetitive from a geometrical point of view, must 
also be repetitive from a hydrodynamic point of view, providing for equal 
distribution of the flowstreams. That effect is achieved by imparting to 
the speed of ejection V.sub.e of a gas through the orifices which are 
allotted thereto in said repetitive or plurality of units, a value which 
is equal to at least three times and preferably six times the value of the 
speed of distribution V.sub.d upstream of said orifices, in the case of 
air, under normal conditions of temperature and pressure. 
Such effect, therefore, establishes the homogeneous pattern of unit volumes 
of homogeneous elementary reaction mixtures in a state of admixture 
comparable to that observed at the outlet of a delayed effect zone as 
described hereinbefore in relation to gas-liquid mixtures. 
A symmetrical vortex movement is advantageously imparted to at least one of 
the flowstreams, the symmetrical vortex movement having a sufficient flow 
rate to effect entrainment of the other gaseous flowstream (or 
flowstreams). 
Then, disposed at a downstream location is a restricted space, a 
confinement zone or zone of restricted flow passage, such as to effect a 
rotary movement of the flowstream about the axis of the subsequent flow 
configuration, to perform the function of overall entrainment. 
That mode of operation makes it possible to achieve, on the apparatus 
scale, very rapid mixing of the elementary reaction mixtures obtained by 
reason of the plurality of feed injection means, and the commencement of 
the reaction without omission or repetition, hence providing a high level 
of density of discrete reactions in a minimized total volume. 
The aforesaid permits miniaturization of the equipment/apparatus with 
reduced wall surface effects, thus providing for effective thermal 
protection by cooling of the walls without a noticeable effect on the mean 
temperature of the reaction. The result of that is that it is possible to 
rapidly attain very high temperatures under the optimum conditions as 
regards safety and reliability, and to achieve particularly attractive 
levels of selectivity. 
However, when, for example, gaseous compositions comprising hydrocarbons 
are treated, deposits of carbon may form on the walls of the reaction 
zone. 
In fact, combustion of a hydrocarbon in the gaseous state in a given 
combustion supporting material or agent results in solely gaseous reaction 
products (generally H.sub.2, H.sub.2 O, CO and CO.sub.2) if a number of 
conditions are combined together: 
(1) initial mixing between the fuel and the combustion supporting agent 
must be rapid, homogeneous and result in a temperature upon completion of 
the mixing phase (before or during the commencement of the reactions) such 
that the mixture can ignite and the said reactions can be sustained 
(preheating required under certain conditions) and that the polyphase 
decomposition reactions of the type CH.sub.4 .fwdarw.C+2H.sub.2 are 
immediately followed by further complementary combustion or reduction 
reactions, at markedly higher relative speeds (reactions of the following 
types: C+O.sub.2 .fwdarw.CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 +1/2O.sub.2 .fwdarw.H.sub.2 O, 
C+CO.sub.2 .revreaction.2CO, C+H.sub.2 O.revreaction.CO+H.sub.2); 
(2) the amount of combustion supporting agent must be sufficient to permit 
the reactions to be completely carried out, without therefore leaving any 
traces of the solid product which is transiently formed (carbon from 
thermal decomposition, in particular). 
Such conditions are necessary. They are sufficient in the gas phase if 
mixing is fairly rapid and properly carried out. On the other hand, the 
volume in which the reactions occur is obviously limited by the wall 
members of the reaction zone. If the apparatus generally is designed for 
very hot operation, therefore at high reaction speeds, the "initial free 
movement" of the molecules (between their injection, through the mixing 
zone, to their first encounter with a wall) is voluntarily short (the 
required effect of confining the jets and reducing the wall surface 
effects). If, at the end of the above-indicated movement, there are still 
molecules of fuel in their initial state (simply in the course of being 
heated), the may temporarily be part of the laminar boundary gas layer 
which covers the reactor wall, the location at which mixtures then occur 
virtually only by a diffusion effect, where the component of the 
turbulence perpendicular to the wall is virtually zero and where the gases 
and, in particular, the fuel are therefore rapidly raised, essentially by 
conduction, to a temperature close to that of said wall, with locally a 
very slight probability of contacting molecules of combustion supporting 
agent. 
In that case, if the wall is at a temperature exceeding the thermal 
decomposition temperature of the hydrocarbon, as the hydrocarbon has very 
little chance of locally encountering combustion supporting agent, the 
hydrocarbon will be cleaved into carbon and hydrogen, for example, the 
solids fraction (the carbon) of those compounds then being subjected to 
different dynamics from the gaseous compounds (accelerations, 
electrostatic forces and, finally, possible deposit of solids on the wall 
surface). 
Such being the case, it is thus possible according to the present invention 
for that disadvantage to be remedied in a simple manner by maintaining the 
walls which define the mixing zone at a sufficiently low temperature as to 
practically avoid local decomposition of the products of reaction, such as 
hydrocarbons. 
The process according to the present invention is therefore characterized 
by the contacting of at least two compounds in gaseous state, comprising 
injecting at least two separate gaseous flowstreams into a mixing zone 
where, by first predividing each flowstream, repetitive or a plurality of 
units of elementary reaction mixtures are formed from said pre-divided 
flows, at least one of said subdivided gaseous flowstreams comprising at 
least one hydrocarbon and the mixture being raised to a temperature 
causing dissociation of the hydrocarbons and possibly reaction thereof 
with other compounds in a restricted space (a confinement zone) defined by 
the lateral sidewalls of the contactor, the temperature of said walls 
being maintained sufficiently low as to avoid local decomposition of the 
products in the presence of said mixture. 
It is believed that the molecule of hydrocarbon, over the course of being 
heated and which has not yet encountered combustion supporting agent 
before approaching the reactor sidewalls, if it is momentarily entrapped 
in the above-described laminar boundary layer, attains a temperature, due 
to the same conduction effects as those referred to above (again, 
approximately the temperature of said sidewall), which is lower than the 
temperature of decomposition of said hydrocarbon. In the local absence of 
combustion supporting agent, the cold wall therefore "neutralizes" the 
tendency to evolve towards decomposition procedures (in particular into 
solid C), which evolution will re-appear subsequently when the hydrocarbon 
molecule exits the cold protective boundary layer to be re-injected into 
the hot mixture, carbon production then occurring in a hot atmosphere of 
oxygen (combustion) or CO.sub.2 and/or H.sub.2 O (reduction to CO and 
H.sub.2). This apparatus of this invention therefore combines the 
advantages of a cold wall (including its strength in the presence of hot 
gases), and a reaction at high temperature. 
Now referring specifically to the Figures of Drawing, the apparatus of the 
invention, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a head 1 provided with at least 
two complementary series of gas feeds issuing from two gas feed inlet 
manifolds 3 and 4, and a chamber 2 into which the gas feeds open (the same 
advantageously being injection orifices). 
This apparatus is characterized in that the series of gas feeds are 
disposed as to constitute a plurality of pairs of complementary inlet 
parts, or repetitive inlet means 5 and 6 for forming the elementary 
reaction mixture. 
Advantageously, at least one of each of said complementary pairs, or unit 5 
and 6, defines an inlet passage adopted to impart a tangential flow to the 
inlet gas stream with respect to the main axis of the subsequent flow 
configuration. 
FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the apparatus of FIG. 1, taken along the line 
a--a'. 
The sidewall assembly, as described hereinbefore and also shown in FIG. 1, 
may advantageously be cooled by a circulating thermostatic fluid, in 
particular water. The conduits 7 and 8 diagrammatically represent the 
inlet and the outlet of said fluid, as one example. 
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is 
provided with means for regulating the temperature of the sidewalls by 
means of a thermostatically controlled fluid, to set it at a sufficiently 
low value to avoid decomposition and/or local reaction at the wall surface 
of the hydrocarbons in the mixture. 
In a simple embodiment, said temperature regulating fluid may comprise the 
fluid which enters and exits by way of the aforesaid conduits 7 and 8. 
FIGS. 3 to 8 illustrate other embodiments, while FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic 
view of various possible operating methods. 
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, a third fluid (axial phase) is 
supplied by means of the inlet conduit 9, which is advantageously also 
cooled; the conduit 9 opens in the vicinity of the plane of the zone of 
restricted flow passage 10, at the outlet from the chamber 2. The third 
fluid may be gaseous or liquid; it may possibly be charged, and it can be 
sprayed at 11 by transfer of the mechanical and thermal energy of the 
gases from 3 and 4 having reacted in 1 and 2, said gases having had 
imparted thereto a momentum, upon entering the diverging zone 11, which is 
at least 100 times the momentum of the axial phase (conduit 9) and 
advantageously from 1000 to 10,000 times the value thereof when said axial 
phase is liquid, or in the form of a sprayable suspension, such conditions 
causing the axial phase to be disintegrated and dispersed, then entrained 
in and treated by the gaseous phase emanating from chamber 2, under 
conditions described in particular in French Patent Nos. 2,257,326 and 
2,508,818. A plurality of coaxially introduced fluids may be introduced 
into 11 (in that case, reference numeral 9 represents a plurality of 
coaxial conduits). 
A particular embodiment of treatment which is carried out in that amount at 
zone 11 is hereby designated vaporizing atomization, or "pulvaporization", 
an organized combination in the flow configuration confined in zone 11, 
and referred to as an "axially symmetrical helically spinning flow 
configuration" of the mechanical and thermal effects of the gaseous phase 
upon the generally liquid axial phase. 
When the axial phase is gaseous, a particularly advantageous arrangement in 
respect of the downstream end of the conduit 9 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 
which illustrate application of the principles, of pre-dividing the jet of 
the axial phase, which in practice produces repetitive units of elementary 
reaction mixtures in the associated streams of the driving gases which 
emanated from chamber 2, in accordance with the particular flow 
configuration generated in head 1, and then by the reaction which occurred 
in chamber 2. 
When all of the phases are injected in the gaseous state, the procedure 
does however still remain within the ambit of the invention, if no 
tangential movement is imparted to the elementary reaction mixtures, with 
respect to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the downstream flow 
configuration. 
The aforedescribed apparatus may be fabricated from any suitable material, 
such as metals, graphite, and the like. 
FIG. 6 depicts a construction fabricated from graphite. The casing 13 of 
the outer body is of impregnated graphite for fluid-type purposes, its 
internal casing 12 is of porous graphite (non-impregnated). The porous 
nature imparts thereto thermal protection due to the phenomenon of liquid 
passing through the graphite by virtue of the porosity thereof. 
The head 1 of the subject apparatus is provided for distributing the 
gaseous phases through the ports 5 and 6 as in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, and 
additionally comprises the arrangement for the cooling circuit 7 and 8 in 
the form of conduits 15 provided in the member 14 which is adapted to the 
particular technology of graphite construction. 
That apparatus may be used in many situations. 
A first situation features, in particular, hydrogen and chlorine as the 
gaseous reactants, either for the synthesis of hydrochloric acid under 
stoichiometric reaction conditions, to within about 5%, or, in contrast, 
with an excess of one reactant or the other. 
Now, it is known to the art that the problems associated with the synthesis 
of hydrochloric acid are particularly severe. 
Nonetheless, by means of the present invention it is possible to use 
apparatus therefor which is substantially smaller for the same production 
level. 
Such apparatus according to the invention is charged with chlorine via 
manifold 3 and with hydrogen via manifold 4. 
The repetitive or plurality of injection units are defined by the several 
complementary pairs or couples 5 and 6. The entire apparatus is cooled by 
the circuit 7 and 8 which is fed with water in the event of metal 
construction (FIGS. 1 to 3) and a solution of hydrochloric acid in the 
event of graphite construction (FIG. 6). 
The aforedescribed apparatus is mounted upstream of a column 17 provided 
with a heat exchanger 18 (see FIG. 7). 
Quenching is effected directly by a solution of hydrochloric acid which is 
recycled from the bottom of the column 17 by means of a recycling loop 
conduit 19. 
Quenching of the combustion gases is effected at the situs of the zone of 
restricted flow passage 10, either from ducts 16 in the case of a graphite 
apparatus (as in FIG. 6) or from a conduit 9 in the case of a metal 
construction (FIG. 3). 
The exchanger 18 is advantageously fabricated from graphite. 
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the 
concentration of the recycled acid may be made fairly high, and its 
temperature may be correspondingly reduced, such that the acid then serves 
only the function of a thermal fluid without any absorption effect. 
The gas formed by the combustion of chlorine and hydrogen is then simply 
washed and cooled in a state of physical-chemical equilibrium with the 
liquid, then delivered directly to the location at which it is to be used. 
Employing the same apparatus, it is also possible to use chlorine which is 
diluted by inert gases such as a chlorine liquefaction installation purge, 
the rate of flow of the hydrogen then being consequentially adjusted. 
It is also possible to use the apparatus according to the invention, in 
accordance with a diagrammatic view as illustrated in FIG. 3, by supplying 
it with an excess of chlorine and introducing an axial liquid phase other 
than hydrochloric acid by way of the conduit 9 at the level of the zone of 
restricted flow passage 10. 
If the axial liquid phase is a fuel or combustible material such as a 
hydrocarbon, that provides (at 11), therefore, for direct chlorination to 
form chlorinated solvents without the necessity for a conventional 
intermediate step entailing the use of ethylene. 
In the opposite case, where the apparatus according to the invention is 
operated with an excess of hydrogen with respect to the stoichiometry of 
H.sub.2 +Cl.sub.2, it is possible (at 11) to carry out the hydrogenation 
of heavy hydrocarbons which either may or may not be chlorinated. 
It will of course be appreciated that the process and the apparatus 
according to the invention are not limited to reactions involving chlorine 
and hydrogen. 
The apparatus may be supplied with air via manifold 3 and natural gas via 
manifold 4, with chlorinated solvents being injected via inlet 9, for 
example, of residual origin, then being subjected at zone 11 to the 
vaporizing atomization effect which makes it possible to provide for the 
total combustion thereof in an apparatus as illustrated in FIG. 8 which 
depicts a design that particularly clearly illustrates the qualities and 
advantages of the process of the invention. 
By virtue of the miniaturization of the apparatus, the furnace which 
normally follows the burner is reduced to the dimension of a simple hearth 
20. The hearth, with a very high level of energy density, may have 
thermostatically controlled metal walls. It will be appreciated that this 
apparatus, like those described above, either may or may not include a 
quenching arrangement. 
In the apparatus shown in FIG. 8, a boiler 21 is downstream of the hearth 
20, being connected thereto via a diverging conical zone as indicated at 
22. 
The foregoing applications are obviously only representative and not 
limiting. 
Summarized in the following Table is a certain number of applications 
offered by the invention, also with reference to the Figures already 
described and to FIG. 9. 
In FIG. 9: 
R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 represent the feed supplies of gas and 
therefore correspond to manifolds 3 and 4 in the other Figures and 
P.sub.1, P.sub.2 represent the axial phase feed supplies. 
Also in FIG. 9, A illustrates an option of supply in respect of gaseous 
phase and Q in respect of a liquid phase, in particular for quenching or 
wetting. 
FIG. 9 therefore illustrates a generalization of the process/apparatus of 
the invention. 
It will be appreciated that the process and the apparatus of the invention 
are applicable to other uses involving the treatment of a gaseous or 
optional liquid phase which may be atomized. 
In particular, they may be utilized for pollution abatement. 
In FIG. 9, a supply of gas (R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3) or optional fluid 
which may be atomized (P.sub.1, P.sub.2) may in particular comprise a 
phase which is to be cleansed or stripped of polluting contaminants. 
TABLE 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
APATUS SUPPLIED WITH PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL REACTIONS 
REMARKS 
No. 
3 4 9 at 2 at 11 (Cf FIG. 9) 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
1 Air and/or 
H.sub.2 
Nil and/or 
Combustion H.sub.2 
Generation of 
Optional P.sub.1, P.sub.2 
O.sub.2 vapor and/or 
in O.sub.2 
superheated 
via conduit 9 
liquid H.sub.2 O water vapor 
(or hot gases) 
2 Air and/or 
Gaseous HC 
Nil Combustion HC 
Generation of 
Optional P.sub.1, P.sub.2 
O.sub.2 
(or H.sub.2) (or H.sub.2) in O.sub.2 
hot gases via conduit 9 
3 Air and/or 
Gaseous HC 
Solution or 
Combution HC 
Concentration, 
Optional P.sub.1, P.sub.2 
O.sub.2 
(or H.sub.2) 
suspension 
(or H.sub.2) in O.sub.2 
drying or via conduit 9 
thermal treat- 
ment of the 
axial phase 
(P.sub.1, P.sub.2) 
4 Air and/or 
Gaseous HC 
Liquid HC and/ 
Combustion HC 
Combustion by 
Optionally, 
O.sub.2 
(or H.sub.2) 
or fine solid 
(or H.sub.2) in O.sub.2 
"pulvaporizat- 
quenching 
combustible ion" of the 
at Q 
dispersible in axial phase and 
"fluidized possible make- 
transport" up of combust- 
(water, liquid ion supporting 
HC, CO.sub.2 and/or 
agent at 11 
gas . . . .sup.2) 
5 Air and/or 
Gaseous HC 
Liquid HC 
Combustion H.sub.2 
Hydrosteam 
Optionally, 
O.sub.2 
(or H.sub.2) in O.sub.2 with H.sub.2 
cracking quenching 
in excess of 9 at Q 
6 Air and/or 
Gaseous HC 
Advantageously 
Combustion H.sub.2 
Production of 
9 as in FIGS. 4 and 5 
O.sub.2 
(or H.sub.2) 
CH.sub.4 in O.sub.2 with H.sub.2 
C.sub.2 H.sub.2 
Q immediately down- 
in excess stream of 11 (very 
short residence time 
in 11) 
7 Air and/or 
Gaseous HC Combustion HC 
Combustion of 
Separation of the 
O.sub.2 
(or H.sub.2) and/or H.sub.2 in O.sub.2 
the organic 
dry salts (filters) 
with excess of 
residues and 
or Q for washing the 
O.sub.2 (and/or air) 
separation of 
cleansed salts 
any salts 
8 Air and/or 
Gaseous HC 
Residual sol- 
Combustion HC 
Combustion with 
P.sub.1 P.sub.2, etc . . . 
may 
O.sub.2 
(or H.sub.2) 
vents which may 
and/or H.sub.2 in O.sub.2 
production of 
contain dioxin or 
or may not be 
with excess of 
HCl, HBr or HF 
precursors (e.g., 
chlorinated, 
O.sub.2 (and/or air) 
chlorobenzenes), Q 
brominated or for quenching, 
fluorinated avoiding the presence 
of free halogens in 
the effluents 
9 Cl.sub.2 as 
Slight Water, dilute 
Cl.sub.2 + H.sub.2 .fwdarw. 2 
Absorption of 
-- 
issuing from 
excess of 
hydrochloric 
HCl + slight excess 
HCl in water 
hydrolysis 
H.sub.2 
solution or 
of H.sub.2 .fwdarw. 
in the dilute 
or "inerts" hydrochloric 
HCl gas solution and/or 
from lique- solution whose cooling of the 
faction of concentration HCl gas 
Cl.sub.2 is in equili- obtained 
brium in 11 
with the gases 
at the tempera- 
ture attained 
10 Cl.sub.2 as 
Slight Aqueous Cl.sub.2 + H.sub.2 .fwdarw. 2 
Concentration 
Relates in partic- 
issuing from 
excess of 
solution P.sub.2 O.sub.5 
HCl + slight excess 
of P.sub.2 O.sub.5 
ular to the 
hydrolysis 
H.sub.2 of H.sub.2 .fwdarw. solutions of P.sub.2 
O.sub.5 
or "inerts" HCl gas produced by hydro- 
from lique- chloric attack on 
faction of phosphates 
Cl.sub.2 
11 Cl.sub.2 diluted 
H.sub.2 in 
Hydrochloric 
Cl.sub.2 + H .sub.2 .fwdarw. 2 
Cooling and 
-- 
by the inerts 
excess with 
solution by 
HCl + slight excess 
absorption 
of a lique- 
respect to 
cooling and 
of H.sub.2 .fwdarw. 
faction oper- 
the chlor- 
absorption 
HCl gas 
ation ine and to (+ inerts) 
O.sub.2 of the 
inerts 
12 Excess of 
H.sub.2 
Liquid (or 
Cl.sub.2 + H.sub.2 .fwdarw. 
Vaporization 
Q = heavy chlorin- 
Cl.sub.2 gaseous) HC 
HCl + Cl.sub.2 in excess 
and direct 
ated solvents and/or 
chlorination of 
aqueous hydrochloric 
HC in solution for quench- 
chlorinated 
ing chlorination 
solvents (in 
reactions to in- 
particular CV) 
crease selectivity in 
particular in respect 
of vinyl chloride 
monomer 
13 Cl.sub.2 
H.sub.2 in 
Heavy residual 
Cl.sub.2 + H.sub.2 .fwdarw. 
Hydrogenation 
Q for quenching 
excess chlorinated 
HCl + Cl.sub.2 in excess 
in the hot 
before separation 
solvents (H.sub.2 in 
state in vapor 
excess) phase of the 
heavy solvents 
14 Cl.sub.2 
H.sub.2 in 
Chlorinated 
Cl.sub.2 + H.sub.2 .fwdarw. 
Complete A = air or oxygen 
excess solvents to be 
HCl + Cl.sub.2 in excess 
combustion 
Q = quenching for 
burned in 
(H.sub.2 in cooling and absorp- 
secondary air 
excess) tion. The choice of 
chlorine in 3 per- 
mits an increase in 
the partial pressure 
of HCl in 11, thus 
facilitating the ab- 
sorption in the 
fluid Q. 
__________________________________________________________________________ 
While the invention has been described in terms of various preferred 
embodiments, the skilled artisan will appreciate that various 
modifications, substitutions, omissions, and changes may be made without 
departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, it is intended that the 
scope of the present invention be limited solely by the scope of the 
following claims, including equivalents thereof.