GB1002088A - Process for the recovery of chlorine from chlorohydrocarbon residues - Google Patents

Abstract

Chlorine is recovered from fully and partially chlorinated chlorohydrocarbon residues by burning the residues with oxygen or a free-oxygen containing gas, e.g. air, O2 enriched air, at elevated temperatures, e.g. 700-1300 DEG C., and recovering the chlorine from the combustion gases. The chlorohydrocarbon residues may be supplied as a vapour or liquid atomized by the oxygen for combustion or solid chlorohydrocarbons dissolved in liquid chlorohydrocarbons. The oxygen may be used in an excess, e.g. 2-30 mole per cent. The chlorohydrocarbons may be hexachloroethane, hexachlorobutadiene, hexachlorobenzene, also chloroethanes, -ethylenes, and -propanes. Suitable reaction-chambers are water-cooled metal furnaces, bricklined furnaces, tubes of ceramics, quartz or vitreous silica ware. A combustible gas, e.g. H2, may be used to initiate the reaction or re-ignite the reaction flame in the event of its extinction. This may be done using a combustion nozzle comprising three concentric tubes, e.g. of quartz, the inner one for the chlorohydrocarbon, the middle one for the oxygen and the outer one for the combustible gas.