Abstract:
Apparatus for continuously making products in dry-phase in an exothermic reaction includes a chamber having a mixer disposed at the bottom thereof with a reaction chamber above the mixer. First and second inlets are provided for introducing reactant materials into the reaction chamber at a position above the mixer. The mixer projects the solid particles into the reaction chamber in order to interact and produce the final product while an expansion chamber is provided above the reaction chamber for evacuating the resulting gas.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for making continuous exothermic chemical reactions between solid, liquid or gaseous products so as to obtain a final dry solid product having a (free water content less than 6% for inorganic products) with the following main characteristics: 
     (1) The reaction medium remains permanently in solid phase of dry appearance with a (solid in suspension in a gaseous medium, hence limiting any risk of soiling). 
     (2) At all times, the different products contained in the 
     reaction phase remain in proportions close to the stoichiometric conditions of the desired reaction, hence limitation of undesirable intermediate or parasitic reactions. 
     (3) The reaction carried out generally leads to the information, in addition to the desired solid product, of gaseous compounds such as water vapour, CO 2 , etc., which contribute under the reaction conditions and to a large extent to the suspension and fluidization of the reaction mass. 
     (4) The additional mechanical energy for effecting this suspension is very low due to the considerable fluidity of the reaction mass. 
     (5) The reaction temperature is constant and may be taken to the desired optimal level, enabling stable reaction conditions and high reaction speeds to be obtained, and thus: 
     by monitoring the flow rates of raw materials coming into reaction (this may be done by monitoring temperature since any variation in temperature in the reactors immediately indicates any variation of the flowrates and characteristics of the raw materials). 
     by the initial choice of the exothermic level of the reactions chosen since different reactions of exothermicity may be carried out simultaneously in the reactor, for example: reaction of phosphoric acid with quick lime, simultaneously with the reaction of said acid with calcium carbonate. 
     (6) The apparatus further promotes the evacuation of the gaseous compounds obtained, consequently increasing tenfold the chemical balances in the desired sense. 
     The conditions of evacuation of the gases furnished, associated with stabilization of the operational parameters of the reactor, are such that they are easily adjusted in order: 
     limit fly-off of solid materials; 
     to allow them to be treated dry using a cyclone and bag filter, avoiding any loss of product, considerable corrosion, and pollution and thereby sequently simplifying the treatment apparatus. 
     (7) Taking the foregoing parameters into account, the reactor is of small dimensions employing small quantities of products, thus rendering heat losses low and giving an excellent thermodynamic yield. The cost of the raw materials is consequently optimalized. 
     For example: in the case of reacting an acid on a mixture of CaO and CaCO 3 , the proportion of CaO, expensive raw material, is substantially reduced, while that of CaCO 3  is increased. 
     (8) The powders obtained have the advantage of being easy to granulate subsequently. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The instant invention contemplates an apparatus for carrying out continuously, and in dry phase, an exothermic reaction involving liberation of gas. The apparatus includes a reactor having a bottom wall and side walls extending up from the bottom wall to a top wall. This defines a lower reaction chamber and an upper expansion chamber located above the lower reaction chamber and in communication therewith. A high efficiency mixer is located within the lower reaction chamber at a level intermediate the bottom wall and a lower part of the expansion chamber. The mixer has projecting shears thereon. An inlet for introducing continuously at least one solid compound, which is to be reacted in said reaction chamber is provided at a level above the mixer. Consequently, at least one solid compound is projected upwardly by the mixer and atomized in the reaction chamber. A second inlet is provided for introducing continuously at least one other reacting compound into the reaction chamber at a level above the first inlet and in close proximity to the lower part of the expansion chamber so as to produce in the reaction chamber an atomized solid reaction product and an evolved gas at a level above the mixer. A recovering device for recovering the solid reaction product is positioned at the bottom of the reaction chamber and an exhaust is provided for exhausting the reaction gas in the vicinity of the top of the expansion chamber. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more readily understood on reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows the triangular diagram MgO, Dolomite, H 3  PO 4 . Zone &#34;A&#34; is that of the reactions which may be made in the apparatus according to the invention; in zone &#34;B&#34;, the reactions cannot be envisaged. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The references have the following meanings: 
     1--High-efficiency mixer which is cylindrical and incorporate shares. 
     2--Expansion chamber having an upper wall 2&#39; which is the top of the reactor. 
     3--Introduction of raw materials 
     4--Spout for introducing and distributing the starting liquid products. When phosphoric acid or a reactive liquid in general is introduced, this spout forms a sort of channel of which one of the edges is cut out in the form of saw teeth, this allowing a regular overflow of the liquid over the length of the mixer 1. 
     4&#39;--Flow line for introducing gaseous or liquid raws materials such as NH 3 , for example. 
     5--Annular chamber for introducing a dilution gas when necessary, particularly air. 
     6--Recuperator of particles, for example, a bag having a downwardly conveying portion 6A connected to a line 6B for recycling particles recovered in the recuperator. 
     7--Extracting fan. 
     8--Zone having a bottom wall 8&#39; which is the bottom of the reactor where the reaction between the first reagent or reactive mixture in powder form, projected upwardly by the mixer 1, and the gaseous or liquid agent introduced by the device 4&#39;, is continously produced. 
     9--Introduction of the dilution gas, preferably heated. 
     10--Extraction of the finished product. 
     11--Recuperator of heat which is transmitted to the gas intended for dilution. 
     12--Recycling of dust. 
     13--Device for adding dust to the finished product 
     14-Dust collector downstream of recuperator 11 
     Operation of the apparatus, as well as its principal advantages, will be discussed within the framework of the reaction of phosphoric acid on lime, CaO, and/or calcium carbonate, CaCO 3 . 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE POSSIBLE REACTIONS 
     It may be envisaged to prepare a very large number of products. On reading the present specification and embodiments, the man skilled in the art may easily apply the invention to reactions other than those described here by way of example. Particular products have been obtained according to the invention by combining the following raw materials: 
     A 
     Industrial phosphoric acid 
     Industrial phosphoric acid, desulfated, defluorinated 
     Sulfuric acid 
     B 
     NH 3  liquefied to gas 
     CaO, quick lime 
     MgO, caustic magnesia 
     NaOH in solution 
     C 
     Calcium carbonate 
     Magnesium carbonate 
     Dolomite 
     Carbonate of soda 
     Bicarbonate of soda 
     Phosphate of natural lime 
     Possible combinations between AB, AC and ABC so as to obtain: 
     (1) Products intended for animal feed 
     Mono-dicalcium phosphate 
     Dicalcium phosphate 
     Magnesium phosphates 
     Calcium-magnesium phosphates 
     Calcium-sodium-magnesium phosphates. 
     (2) Products intended for fertilization 
     Magnesium phosphates 
     Calcium-magnesium phosphates 
     Ammoniacal phosphates 
     Calco-magnesium sulfo-phosphates 
     Ammoniacal sulfo-phosphates 
     It is obvious that a considerable number of products can be made in the apparatus according to the invention; only the principal uses studied up to the present will be retained here. 
     (1) the reaction of lime, CaO, and of calcium carbonate, CaCO 3 , on phosphoric acid which produces, in known manner, mono- and dicalcium phosphates. 
     the dicalcium phosphates manufactured in this manner are essentially intended for animal feed, and the qualities of the raw materials are suitably selected to comply with the standards of the finished products. 
     In one of the known processes, BASLINI, high-capacity mixers of 25 m 3  for example, are employed, in particular, in which reaction is carried out in successive steps, and slowly on the order of 6 hrs.; consequently, the hourly yields by volume are low, as well as the thermal yields. 
     (2) The reactions of caustic calcined magnesia, MgO, and magnesium carbonate, MgCO 3 , and/or Dolomite, CaCO 3  (1-x)Mg(x), so as to obtain an original magnesium product, constituting a new form of magnesium derivative in powder form, whose formula is thought to be: 
     
         (P.sub.2 o.sub.5) x (MgO)y (CaO)z, nH.sub.2 O 
    
     in proportions not yet defined. 
     The products manufactured in this manner may be used in two domains: 
     A--Fertilizers 
     In this domain, the man skilled in the art knows that, at the present time, two forms of Mg are mainly used in the domain of fertilizers: 
     (a) magnesium not or very weakly soluble in water: 
     Dolomite 
     MgCO 3   
     Mg(OH) 2   
     Caustic MgO 
     Dounite 
     Serpentinite, etc.. 
     (b) water-soluble magnesium: 
     Sulfate of Mg 
     Chloride of Mg. 
     Forms whose agronomic efficiency may be limited in case of products &#34;a&#34; on certain types of soils such as neutral or alkaline soils. Or which bring problems of use in manufacture such as 
     difficulty of granulation, losses of raw materials, limitation of the doses of use for the products of range &#34;a&#34;. 
     parasitic reactions between the magnesium and the other components of the fertilizer for form &#34;b&#34; due perhaps to blockage of elements N, P 2  O 5 , MgO in the manufacture of complex NPK fertilizers by formation of ammoniacal magnesium phosphate, a salt which is particularly insoluble. 
     Under these conditions, the man skilled in the art knows that fertilizers comprising more than 5% of MgO are difficult to obtain. 
     Surprisingly, the apparatus according to the invention and the corresponding process make it possible to obtain a novel form of product bringing the Mg which may be classified as: 
     &#34;magnesia soluble in neutral ammonium citrate&#34; which is a solution constituting a standardized test for classification of the phosphated fertilizers, with solubility in water; 
     P 2  O 5  bonded with the magnesium in this same product likewise being soluble in the neutral citrate. 
     In this form, the magnesium, although weakly soluble in water, may be considered as assimiliable from the agronomical standpoint, consequently considerably limiting the servitudes of use, i.e., servitudes of the soil pH. 
     It may also be used: 
     as such, as it is easy to granulate, 
     or as raw materials in the manufacture of granulated fertilizers, and this at high doses, without problem of subsequent reactions or of granulation. 
     It thus becomes possible for the first time to manufacture P, NP, PK and NPK fertilizers with a high MgO content up to about 30% of MgO. 
     Moreover, it is possible to add addition products such as colemanite into the reactor, without a major drawback, making it possible to obtain products bringing in addition the element boron, and this without problem of subsequent granulation. 
     The invention therefore opens up new channels in the domain of fertrilizers. 
     B--Animal Food 
     In this domain, the man skilled in the art knows that one of the means mainly used at present for contributing the elements P, Ca, Mg in animal feed, is to bring P and Ca separately in the form of tri-calcium phosphate, generally defluorinated, and/or mono-dicalcium phosphates, and magnesia in the form of calcined MgO. 
     Certain products of this family have the advantage of bringing these same elements in an economical form once, in a concentrated combination, which does not pose the problems encountered with the use of MgO due to heating degranulation, transfer of humidity in the bags where the magnesium seems to be better used by the animal due to better efficiency of use by the animal. 
     There again, the invention therefore opens up new channels in the domain of animal feed. 
     (3) the reaction of magnesia, MgO, and/or Dolomite and ground natural phosphate with sulfuric acid and/or phosphoric acid. 
     Under these conditions, products are obtained, in which: 
     the P 2  O 5  is in three forms: 
     water-soluble 
     Citrate so1ub1e 
     Soluble in inorganic acids 
     the magnesia is in three forms: 
     Water-soluble 
     Citrate-soluble 
     Water insoluble 
     The products consequently have three levels of activity. 
     The products are easy to granulate as such or mixed with for example potassium chloride (manufacture of PK fertilizers). 
     
         ______________________________________Example Of Percentage Of Product Obtained______________________________________P.sub.2 O.sub.5 Total       18      MgO   Total      8 Citrate soluble             10            Citrate soluble                                      6 Water-soluble              7            Water soluble                                      2______________________________________ 
    
     (4) The reaction of magnesia (MgO), of Dolomite, of caustic soda, NaOH, with phosphoric acid. 
     The original products obtained according to the invention ,probably respond to the following form: 
     
         (P.sub.2 O.sub.5)v (MgO)x (CaO)y (Na.sub.2 O)z, nH.sub.2 O 
    
     or more generally 
     
         P.sub.2 O.sub.5 (MO)m, nH.sub.2 O 
    
     where M may be Ca ++ , Mg ++   or Na ++   or a mixture of 2 or 3 of these ions with, however, as limits: 
     
         6%&lt;P.sub.2 O.sub.5 &lt;60% 
    
     The following products were thus obtained: 
     
         ______________________________________   Product 1      Products 2______________________________________P.sub.2 O.sub.5     41.6             41.2CaO       33.5             15.8Na.sub.2 O     5.4              4.5MgO       1                7.2______________________________________ 
    
     These products find application in: 
     the domain of special fertilizers with sodium 
     the domain of animal feed. 
     GENERAL MODUS OPERANDI ILLUSTRATED BY THE MANUFACTURE OF DICALCIUM PHOSPHATES 
     The solid raw material of materials, in the form of ground powder, for example lime and/or calcium carbonate, are continuously introduced, after precise dosage by any appropriate system, in a cylindrical, so-called high-efficiency mixer 1, incorporating plough shares, fitted with a sufficient quantity of dispersers, which may be found on the market. 
     A distribution spout 4 is installed in chamber 2 for uniformly distributing phosphoric acid, of which the flow rate is known precisely by any conventional apparatus, over the whole length of the mixer. The spout is positioned so as not to be soiled by projections of powders; a special system of fixation has been designed to position it so that the acid drops optimally onto the reaction mass. This spout is preferably located in the lowermost meter of the chamber 2. 
     The originality of the chamber is that the products projected sufficiently high therein, due to the violent stirring provided by the mixer, atomize in contact with the phosphoric acid and degas perfectly well. Furthermore, its calculated dimensions avoid a maximum of fly-offs, according to Stockes&#39; laws. 
     The reaction gases, water vapour and carbon dioxide, taken by the exothermicity of the reaction to high temperature of between 80° and 160° C., are drawn into a calculated Venturi system at the of the expansion chamber, after having been diluted by reheated air from an exchanger recovering the thermicity and in particular the heat of condensation of the water vapour being exhausted, or any other source of heat, such as the inevitable vapour that may be found on industrial sites. The volumes, flowrates and temperatures of the gas streams are arranged so as to operate in dry phase. In the system carried out, the hot air of dilution is conducted, uniformly distributed, through annular chambers 5 from bottom to top, in order to have a good insulation and to avoid any condensation on the walls, hence a perfectly clean system. Any other means for maintaining temperature such as vapour or electric tracing may be retained. 
     The gaseous mixture is conducted towards an apparatus 6 for recovering particles, for example a bag filter, before being ejected to the free air or into the exchanger mentioned above. The gaseous movement is entrained and controlled by a fan 7 located after the filter. 
     The very fine, dry dust collected by the recovery apparatus is reintroduced with the solid raw materials, or poured directly into the finished product. 
     Consequently, there is no wet washing of the gases, therefore, no problems of pollution. 
     It is obvious that the system should be perfectly heat-insulated by any known means. 
     A capital advantage of the invention is that operation is carried out entirely in dry phase. This is possible, in particular, as far as dust recuperation is conerned, thanks to the introduction of the hot dilution gas. Among other advantages, the considerable servitudes of wet washing of the gases due to pollution and very large dimensions are thus avoided. 
     During operation, the filter proved to remain clean and, on the other hand, had very little dust to stop. 
     Another essential advantage of the invention is that the reaction can run continuously, this enabling it to be monitored precisely at any moment by measuring, for example, the parameter of temperature of the gases in chamber 2. 
     The reaction mixture never passes beyond a pasty state and the quantities of gas emitted are constant as a function of time. 
     At no point in the reaction is the product contained in the mixer in wet phase, this due to the ratios between the raw materials. Stirring in the mixer being highly efficient, it is to be considered that the product is totally homogeneous and that it is therefore possible to continuously evacuated the calcium phosphate formed in order to maintain a rate of filling of the mixer of between 35 and 50% by volume. 
     The process described presents the advantage of an excellent ratio of volume of equipment for a high yield of finished product, this being due to the invention itself, namely that the mixture, the reaction itself and degassing are effected immediately in the bottom of the expansion chamber, in the form of atomization, degassing not having to be effected through the mass contained in the reactor. The finished products are consequently very fine. 
     For the reactor of 666 1(1 t/hr.), 1.8 t/m 3 .hr. are attained according to the invention, whilst in the known systems operating discontinuously in vessels of 25 m 3 , at 2 t/hr., only 0.088 t/m 3  are obtained. 
     The present process is further noteworthy by the low energy consumption because the weak consistency of the reaction medium allows a violent, low energy-consuming stirring and, on the other hand, the exothermicity of the reaction and the sources of energy in situ participate in the energy balance and may ensure self-sufficiency of the equipment. The very small dimensions of the production unit with respect to heretofore known workshops for manufacturing these products is also noteworthy. The yield is good, given that the losses of finished products are strictly limited to the ultra-fine particles able to pass the gas filtration media. 
     This installation is easy to render automatic, this much simplifying supervision thereof. 
     The phosphoric acid used has a titer of between 40 and 54% of P 2  O 5 . This acid must be of quality suitable not the running of the process but for conformity with the standards of use of the finished product. 
     The raw materials used in a ratio defined according to the titer of the acid, the reactivity of the raw materials and the desired calcium phosphate, must be of good quality, namely with high titer and of suitable fineness. 
     The following Examples illustrate the invention without, however, limiting the scope thereof. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     Dicalcium Phosphate 
     Per hour of operation, distributed continually over this period of time 280 kg of quick lime with 95.2% of CaO, 125 kg of calcium carbonate with 97.4% of CaCO 3  or a CaO/CaCO 3  ratio =2.24, are introduced in the form of a mixture of powders in the reactor (2), and 882 kg of purified phosphoric acid, with 47.2% P 2  O 5  and at 40° C., are poured over the projected reaction mixture, the whole apparatus operating continuously. A ton of finished product, dicalcium phosphate, is continuously extracted during this same period. The temperature of the mixture is 92° C. 
     A reactor of 666 1 is used, provided with an expansion chamber 4 m high, the gaseous system being put into motion by a 3000 Nm 3  /hr. fan. 
     The dicalcium phosphate obtained titers 41.6% P 2  O 5  total of which 40.1% P 2  O 5  soluble in water+neutral citrate, 41.4% in 2% citric acid, Gueguen, 39.2% CaO. The product a humidity of 2% (4 hrs. at 105° C.) and a pH (10%) of 6. 
     White product, of fineness less than 50 , perfectly fluid. 
     Modifications limited in the conditions of exploitation of the reactor make it possible to obtain a microgranulated product with mini d of 100 to maxi d of 1500. 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     Magnesium Products 
     It has been discovered that the triangular diagram (FIG. 2) made it possible to define a zone (A) where the reactions could be carried out by the process and in the apparatus according to the invention, and a zone (B) where this was impossible. 
     This diagram enabled the man skilled in the art to select without difficulty the proportions to be used for the various reagents. 
     The Table hereinafter shows the results of carrying out the reaction continuously in the apparatus according to the invention, as described in Example 1. 
     The speed of reaction may be considered as constant with respect to the incoming mass and close to 15 kg/min x m 3 . 
     
                                           TABLE__________________________________________________________________________TEST OF ATTACK AND OF GRANULATION OF MAGNESIUM DERIVATIVES% of the mass introduced         Results of analysis of the granulated products returned to         5% humidityDolomiteMagnesia     H.sub.3 PO.sub.4         P.sub.2 O.sub.5 tot              P.sub.2 O.sub.5 SE                   P.sub.2 O.sub.5 SCN                         CaO tot                              MgO tot                                   MgO SE                                        MgO SCN                                              pH__________________________________________________________________________84.03 0   15.97          6.92              3.57  6.84 26.95                              19.03                                   5.39  5.54 7.354.0316.14     29.82         12.28              4.68 12.05 19.77                              26.95                                   2.97 15.48 7.920.7734.62     44.60         19.25              4.22 19.15  7.67                              32.30                                   2.95 20.77 7.9 0   46.00     54.00         24.96              4.73 24.55  4.41                              39.33                                   4.84 32.56 7.863.20 9.00     27.80         11.66              6.04 11.58 23.16                              23.59                                   4.49 12.61 7.842.3121.79     35.90         15.69              6.12 15.58 16.78                              27.51                                   4.85 17.21 7.910.0041.00     49.00         22.74              5.27 22.66  4.42                              34.27                                   4.26 27.77 8.030   30   40  17.97              5.35 17.82 14.35                              33.58                                   4.23 23.44 8.0__________________________________________________________________________ Notes: tot = total SE = water soluble SCN = soluble in neutral citrate