Patent ID: 7968742

Claim:
In a method for the sulfonation or sulfation of organic liquid raw materials with an SO 3 /air mixture in a thin-layer, falling-film reactor comprising a tubular reactor or an annular-gap, falling-film reactor in the form of a double cylinder, the improvement comprising, introducing a first fraction of the SO 3 /air mixture to a first feed location within a reaction tube or within the annular gap of an annular-gap, falling-film reactor and in a flow direction substantially parallel to the flow of organic liquid raw material through the falling-film reactor; and introducing a second fraction of the SO 3 /air mixture to a second feed location within a reaction tube or within the annular gap of an annular-gap, falling-film reactor and in a flow direction substantially parallel to the flow of organic liquid raw material through the falling-film reactor, said second location distinct from the first location and spaced from the first location downstream in the direction of the falling film of organic liquid raw material, wherein the organic liquid raw material is selected from the group consisting of alkylated aromatic hydrocarbons; alkylbenzenes with 8 to 22 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, said alkylbenzenes being linear or branched, said alkylbenzenes further being saturated or unsaturated; alpha-olefins with 8 to 30 carbon atoms; fatty alcohols with 8 to 24 carbon atoms; alkylene oxide adducts of fatty alcohols with 8 to 24 carbon atoms; alkylphenols with 8 to 15 carbon atoms and their alkylene oxide derivatives; fatty acid methyl esters; and combinations of any of the foregoing.