Patent GB-661130-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to the control of exothermic and/or gas-liberating chemical reactions
IPC: B01J19/00
Filed: 1949-06-09
Abstract: <PICT:0661130/IV (b)/1> Neutralization of sulphates and sulphonates of long chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, higher fatty alcohols, long chain fatty acids, polyhydric alcohol esters of fatty acids, alkyl ethers of polyhydroxy compounds and mixed aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons with alkali and alkaline earth metal hydroxides, carbonates or bicarbonates or ammonia or alkanolamines, e.g. the neutralization with aqueous caustic soda of the sulphated monoglyceride ester of coconut oil fatty acids is carried out without foaming by maintaining a liquid body of the reaction product in a vessel, withdrawing a stream of the product from the vessel and increasing its pressure, introducing the reactants into this stream and returning the stream to the vessel with simultaneous reduction in pressure sufficient at least to cause some of the volatile constituents to flash off.  As shown, the lower portion of vessel 1 contains a body of liquid reaction product and a stream of the product is continuously withdrawn through tube 4, mixed with the reactants introduced at 20, 22 and returned to the vessel through tube 5 under the action of an impellor 8, the size of the discharge orifice at the upper end of tube 5 being adjusted by a movable conical head 12, thereby regulating the pressure on the liquid before it is discharged into the vessel 1 in a region of constantly maintained lower pressure, usually a vacuum, above the liquid level. Volatile constituents are removed at 14 and the reaction product bled-off at 16.  By employing concentric tubes 4, 5 the streams passing therethrough are in heat-exchange relation.  Turbulent flow is promoted by suitably positioned vanes in tubes 4, 5.ALSO:<PICT:0661130/III/1> Exothermic and / or gas liberating chemical reactions, e.g., the neutralization of organic sulphonic acids and sulphates (See Group IVb) are carried out by maintaining a liquid body of the reaction product in a vessel, withdrawing a stream of the product from the vessel and increasing its pressure, introducing the reactants into this stream and returning the stream to the vessel with simultaneous reduction in pressure sufficient at least to cause some of the volatile constituents to flash off.  As shown, the lower portion of vessel 1 contains a body of liquid reaction product and a stream of the product is continuously withdrawn through tube 4, mixed with the reactants introduced at 20, 22 and returned to the vessel through tube 5 under the action of an impellor 8, the size of the discharge orifice at the upper end of tube 5 being adjusted by a movable conical head 12 thereby regulating the pressure on the liquid before it is discharged into the vessel 1 in a region of constantly maintained lower pressure, usually a vacuum, above the liquid level.  Volatile constituents are removed at 14 and the reaction product bled-off at 16.  By employing concentric tubes 4, 5 the streams passing therethrough are in heat-exchange relation.  Turbulent flow is promoted by suitably positioned vanes in tubes 4, 5.