Process for the control of foaming

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR CONTROLLING SPONTANEOUS FOAMING IN A CONTINOUSLY REACTING AQUEOUS LIQUID PHASE SYSTEM, WHEREIN AN ALKYL CHLORIDE IS PREPARED FROM HYDROGEN CHLORIDE AND AN ALIPHATIC ALCOHOL IN THE PRESENCE OF A METAL CHLORIDE CATALYST IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION DURING WHICH REACTION FOAM-INDUCING SUBSTANCES ARE CONTINUOUSLY FORMED AND BUILT UP, WHICH COMPRISES AN INITIAL STEP OF ADDING LAURYL SULFATE TO THE SYSTEM IN A SMALL AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO SUPRESS FOAM FORMATION, WHEREBY FOAMING IS INHIBITED, FOLLOWED BY A SECOND STEP DURING WHICH PERIOD THE REACTION IS ALLOWED TO PROCEED AND FOAM-INDUCING SUBSTANCES CONTINUOUSLY FORM AND BUILD UP TO AN UNDESIRABLE CONCENTRATION WITHIN THE AQUEOUS LIQUID PHASE REACTING SYSTEM, AND A THIRD STEP OF SUBSEQUENTLY ADDING LAURYL SULFATE TO THE SYSTEM IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO POSITIVELY PRODUCE FOAM THEREIN, AND THEREAFTER REMOVING SAID FOAM SO PRODUCED FROM SAID SYSTEM LEAVING BEHIND A RELATIVELY FOAM-FREE AQUESOUS LIQUID PHASE IN WHICH THE PREPARATION OF THE ALKYL CHLORIDE IS CONTINUED.