Clean Chemical Process by Jet-Flow Reactor

Chemical Engineering

Paper describes clean process routes involving Tank reactor, Jet mixer, Mist eliminator and Compressor for Gas-Liquid reaction. The mechanism is illustrated by sulfonation of Para-Nitro-Chloro Benzene (PNCB). The mechanism can be applied to many other Gas-Liquid reactions. Traditionally, sulfonation is carried out using oleum (23%) or sulfuric acid (98%). But use of this acid causes only fractional utilization of the sulfonating agent, remaining all goes as waste acid. This waste acid is contaminated with unused raw material, some overheated and darkened colored material along with other side products. It is not suitable for further use in the process industries. As per current practice waste acid generated is utilized with lime, causing very high consumption of lime and solid products which are difficult to dispose of. In the proposed process, gases are injected into the liquid bulk through jet and are allowed to be absorbed, and reacted. Here, besides eliminating pollution at source by completely utilizing the raw materials, jet mixer also reduces power consumption for agitation and mixing though with additional power requirement to run compressor. The unabsorbed gas coming out is separated from mist and is recycled back after compression. The mist dripping back into reactor. The recycle gas is added with makeup SO3 and diluent. Thus, scheme will neither generate liquid effluent nor emit pollutant gases. The current clean chemical process mechanism can further be extended to processes like Hydrogenation, Halogenation, Alkylation, Isomerization and other Gas-Liquid processes. The proposed scheme obviously requires the experimental proof with all safety and environmental issues for sulfonation process.

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