Simultaneous production of chlorine dioxide and a salt of a strong acid

Claim 1

In a continuous process for the production of chlorine dioxide, chlorine and an inorganic salt wherein a reducing agent is continuously introduced into an aqueous reaction solution maintained from about 1-12 normal in mineral acid and from 0.005 to about 3.5 molar in chlorate at a temperature between 30° to about 90° centigrade to produce chlorine dioxide and a solid inorganic salt, the improvement which comprises conducting said continuous process by introducing hydrochloric acid as the reducing agent into a unilocular zone containing said reaction solution under reduced pressure of from 50 to about 600 millimeters mercury absolute, wherein said pressure is coordinated with the temperature of the reaction solution to effect the evaporation of water from said aqueous reaction solution at a rate sufficient to maintain a substantially constant volume of reaction solution, whereby chlorine dioxide and chlorine are continuously generated and removed from said zone in admixture with said evaporated water and said inorganic salt is crystallized from said aqueous reaction solution in said unilocular zone and recovered.