Patent ID: 7351384

Claim:
A vertical cylindrical reactor having a ratio of length to diameter of from about 3:1 to 30:1 for the hydroformylation of olefins having at least 6 carbon atoms wherein said hydroformylation is performed in the presence of a homogenous catalyst, comprising: a) internals by which the interior space of the reactor is divided into at least two reaction chambers which extend essentially in the longitudinal direction of the reactor, the internals being configured as at least one cylinder which is closed at both ends, the at least two reaction chambers comprising a first reaction chamber and a last reaction chamber, b) an inlet in a lower end of the first reaction chamber for introduction of at least one olefin together with synthesis gas, the inlet comprising at least one mixing nozzle for mixing at least one olefin with synthesis gas, c) a recirculator for the recirculation of fluid from an upper end of the first reaction chamber to lower end of a next of the reactions chambers, without back-mixing with a content of the first reaction chamber, the recirculation being configured as at least one down-pipe so that the upper edge of the down pipe keeps the liquid/gas phase boundary in the first reaction chamber constant such that if the liquid level drops below the upper edge of the down-pipe, more unreacted synthesis gas is passed through the down-pipe into the next reaction chamber until the liquid level again reaches the upper edge of the down-pipe, and vice versa, and d) an outlet for taking off hydroformylated olefin at an upper end of the last reaction chamber.