GB1469443A - Apparatus for organic sulphonation - Google Patents

Abstract

1469443 Sulphonation reactor MARATHON OIL CO 14 June 1974 [12 July 1973] 27884/76 Divided out of 1469442 Heading B1F A sulphonation reactor comprises (a) a tubular reactor defining a flow path for a first fluid reactant comprising the organic liquid to be sulphonated plus recycled reaction products, said reactor having a first inlet at an upstream end of said flow path for the introduction of said first fluid reactant, an outlet at the downstream end of said flow path for recovery of the reaction products from the reactor, and a second inlet between said first inlet and said outlet, said second inlet being placed to introduce into said first reactant as it passes along said flow path, and at a substantial angle with respect to said flow path, a second fluid reactant comprising a solution of SO 3 in ethylene dichloride; (b) a mixer, separate from said reactor, for mixing the organic liquid to be sulphonated with a recycle reaction product stream; (c) means for feeding the mixed organic liquid and recycle stream to said first inlet; (d) means for separating the product stream issuing from the reactor outlet into a product withdrawal stream and a recycle product stream; and (e) means for recycling said recycle stream to said mixer. The second inlet is preferably a shielded nozzle which protrudes into the reactor preferably a distance of 10 to 90% of the interior diameter of the reactor. A preferred form of the reactor is a length of pipe having a diameter sufficient to provide turbulent flow to the unsulphonated petroleum fraction/recycled products stream which flows longitudinally through the reactor, and the inlet for SO 3 /ethylene dichloride is a smaller pipe extending into the tubular reactor at an angle of approx 90‹ and extending to a point at approx the mid-point of the tubular reactor. The Example describes a particular form of the apparatus.