Catalytic hydrogen chloride oxidation process to produce chlorine

Claim 1

IN A CATALYTIC PROCESS WHEREIN CHLORINE IS PRODUCED BY CONTACTING OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN CHLORIDE WITH A FINELY DIVIDED COPPER CHLORIDE-CONTAINING CATALYST AT HYDROGEN CHLORIDE OXIDIZING CONDITIONS IN A REACTION ZONE THEREBY FORMING REACTION PRODUCTS COMPRISING CHLORINE, WATER AND HYDROGEN CHLORIDE, THE STEPS WHICH COMPRISE PASSING SAID REACTION PRODUCTS IN ADMIXTURE WITH A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF SAID CATALYST AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE FROM SAID REACTION ZONE INTO A QUENCHING ZONE, INTRODUCING A STREAM OF COOL LIQUID AQUEOUS HYDROGEN CHLORIDE INTO SAID QUENCHING ZONE UNDER CONDITIONS BRINGING SAID CATALYST-CONTAINING REACTION PRODUCTS INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH COOL LIQUID AQUEOUS HYDROGEN CHLORIDE IN SAID QUENCHING ZONE, THEREBY COOLING SAID REACTION PRODUCTS AND SAID CATALYST ADMIXED THEREWITH WHILE FORMING A CATALYST-CONTAINING LIQUID PHASE COMPRISING AQUEOUS HYDROGEN CHLORIDE AND SUSPENDED SOLID CATALYST AND A CATALYST-FREE GASEOUS PHASE COMPRISING CHLORINE, WATER AND HYDROGEN CHLORIDE IN SAID QUENCHING ZONE, PASSING SAID CATALYST-CONTAINING LIQUID PHASE FROM SAID QUENCHING ZONE INTO SAID REACTION ZONE, PASSING SAID CATALYST-FREE GASEOUS PHASE FROM SAID QUENCHING ZONE THROUGH A COOLING ZONE INTO A SEPARATING ZONE, SEPARATING A LIQUID PHASE COMPRISING AQUEOUS HYDROGEN CHLORIDE FROM A GASEOUS PHASE COMPRISING CHLORINE IN SAID SEPARATING ZONE, AND PASSING AT LEAST A PART OF SAID LIQUID PHASE COMPRISING AQUEOUS HYDROGEN CHLORIDE FROM SAID SEPARATING ZONE INTO SAID QUENCHING ZONE.