Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
In a process for oxidizing in an oxidation reaction zone a molten salt mixture containing a multivalent metal chloride in its higher and lower valence state by contacting the molten salt mixture with gaseous molecular oxygen and aqueous hydrogen chloride at a temperature of from 600° F. to 900° F. to produce an oxidized melt and recover chlorine values by enriching the higher valent multivalent metal chloride content of the molten salt mixture and recovering the molten salt from the oxidation reaction zone, the improvement comprising: withdrawing from the oxidation reaction zone an effluent gas containing water vapor and chlorine, said chlorine being present in an amount up to the chlorine vapor pressure of the molten salt mixture; cooling the effluent gas; contacting the effluent gas in a chlorine separation zone with activated carbon to convert chlorine to hydrogen chloride, said contacting being effected at a temperature of from 100° F. to 250° F. and a pressure of from 15 to 100 psia; withdrawing from the chlorine separation zone a gas essentially free of chlorine and containing water vapor and hydrogen chloride produced from the chlorine; recovering aqueous hydrogen chloride from said gas; and introducing recovered aqueous hydrogen chloride into said oxidation reaction zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a process for oxidizing in an oxidation reaction zone a molten salt mixture containing a multivalent metal chloride in its higher and lower valence state by contacting the molten salt mixture with gaseous molecular oxygen and aqueous hydrogen chloride at a temperature of from 600° F. to 900° F. to produce an oxidized melt and recover chlorine values by enriching the higher valent multivalent metal chloride content of the molten salt mixture and recovering the molten salt from the oxidation reaction zone, the improvement comprising: withdrawing from the oxidation reaction zone an effluent gas containing water vapor and chlorine, said chlorine being present in an amount up to the chlorine vapor pressure of the molten salt mixture; cooling the effluent gas; contacting the effluent gas in a chlorine separation zone with activated carbon to convert chlorine to hydrogen chloride, said contacting being effected at a temperature of from 100° F. to 250° F. and a pressure of from 15 to 100 psia; withdrawing from the chlorine separation zone a gas essentially free of chlorine and containing water vapor and hydrogen chloride produced from the chlorine; recovering aqueous hydrogen chloride from said gas; and introducing recovered aqueous hydrogen chloride into said oxidation reaction zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the oxidation effluent gas withdrawn from the oxidation reaction zone further contains hydrogen chloride, said hydrogen chloride being recovered as aqueous hydrogen chloride and recycled to the oxidation reaction zone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 2 wherein a gas containing a member selected from the group consisting of chlorine, hydrogen chloride and mixtures thereof is also introduced into the oxidation reaction zone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the multivalent metal chloride is selected from the group consisting of the chlorides of manganese, iron, chromium, cobalt, copper and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the molten mixture contains cuprous and cupric chloride.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
77 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the chlorine separation zone includes first and second reactors, said contacting with activated carbon being effected in the first reactor, said second reactor including activated carbon previously employed for separation of chlorine and further comprising: contacting the activated carbon in the second reactor with a portion of the gas remaining subsequent to recovery of aqueous hydrogen chloride to effect purging of the activated carbon by desorbing adsorbed chlorine and hydrogen chloride.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the gas, containing desorbed chlorine and hydrogen chloride is combined with the effluent gas withdrawn from the oxidation reaction zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 5 wherein aqueous hydrogen chloride recovered from the gas withdrawn from the chlorine separation zone is concentrated prior to recyle to the oxidation reaction zone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the activated carbon has an ash content of less than 1% and a surface area of at least 500 m 2 /gm.