Process for oxidizing saturated hydrocarbons using apparatus therefor

Claim 2

A process according to claim 2, wherein the vortical movement has a sufficient speed to result in the formation within the liquid phase of a central air hole, the depth of which corresponds to from about 40 to 70% of the height of the liquid phase in a stationary state.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1, wherein the boron compound is introduced in a plurality of points of the liquid phase, said points being placed at different levels of said phase.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 1, wherein there is introduced a part at least of the saturated hydrocarbon to be oxidized in a plurality of points placed at different levels of said phase.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1 wherein the gaseous mixture evolved from the liquid phase is scrubbed by means of a liquid saturated hydrocarbon of the same nature as the hydrocarbon to be oxidized.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 6, wherein the liquid saturated hydrocarbon used for scrubbing the gaseous mixture is thereafter recycled, at least partly, in the liquid phase subjected to oxidation.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 6, wherein the liquid saturated hydrocarbon used for scrubbing the gaseous mixture, is thereafter reinjected, at least partly, into the liquid phase subjected to oxidation, from a plurality of injection points placed at different levels of the liquid phase.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 8, wherein the scrubbing is carried out by effecting at least one passage of the gaseous mixture through a substantially continuous liquid hydrocarbon screen.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 1, wherein the oxidizing gas is injected from a plurality of points at the lower part of the liquid phase.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 1, for oxidizing saturated hydrocarbons containing from about five to eight carbon atoms per molecule characterized in that the height of contact between the liquid phase and the oxidizing gas is at least equal to twice the mean diameter of the said liquid phase.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 11, wherein the height of contact between the liquid phase and the gas is at least three times the mean diameter of the said liquid phase.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 12, wherein the height of contact between the liquid phase and the gas is comprised between about 5 and 15 times the mean diameter of the liquid phase.

Claim 13

A process for oxidizing saturated hydrocarbons containing from about 5 to 30 carbon atoms per molecule, to the corresponding oxidation products, in the liquid phase, at a temperature from 100 to 200* C., by means of an oxidizing gas containing molecular oxygen, introduced within the liquid phase, in the presence of a boron compound selected from the group consisting of boric acid, boric anhydride and a boric ester, wherein a part of the liquid phase is continuously withdrawn from the reaction medium and then reinjected continuously in a substantially horizontal plane and tangentially to the periphery of the oxidation zone, as a stirring liquid, into said phase, from at least one injection point with a direction which communicates to said phase a vortical movement.