Preparation of tetrafluoroethylene

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE FROM METHANE, HYDROGEN FLUORIDE AND OXYGEN WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF REACTING A MIXTURE OF METHANE AND RECYCLED BROMOMETHANE AND DIBROMOMETHANE WITH BROMINE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 300 TO 700*C. IN A PYROLYSIS FURNACE, SEPARATING THE RESULTING HYDROGEN BROMIDE, CARBON TETRABROMIDE, BROMOFROM, DIBROMOMETHANE AND BROMOMETHANE, REACTING BROMOFORM WITH HYDROGEN FLUORIDE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 100 TO 500*C. IN THE PRESENCE OF A FLUORINATION CATALYST, SEPARATING THE RESULTING HYDROGEN BROMIDE AND BROMODIFLUOROMETHANE, PYROLYZING THE BROMODIFLUOROMETHANE AT A TEMPERATURE OF 400 TO 1000* C., SEPARATING THE RESULTING TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE AND HYDROGEN BROMIDE, RECYCLING UNCONVERTED BROMODIFLUOROMETHANE TO THE PRECEDING PYROLYZING STEP, OXIDIZING THE HYDROGEN BROMIDE AND CARBON TETRABROMIDE FORMED IN THE FOREGOING STEPS TO BROMINE BY CONTACTING SAID HYDROGEN BROMIDE AND CARBON TETRABROMIDE WITH OXYGEN AT A TEMPERATURE OF 300 TO 500*C. AND SEPARATING AND RECYCLING THE RESULTING BROMINE.