Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A direct fluorination apparatus comprising, in combination: a. a reactor having a reactant inlet at one end of said reactor and a product outlet at the opposite end of said reactor; b. means for separating said reactor into a plurality of independently controllable temperature zones positioned consecutively within said reactor between the reactant inlet and the product outlet; c. means for introducing a source of first reactant at said reactant inlet, said first reactant being a source of elemental fluorine; d. means for introducing a second gaseous reactant to be fluorinated into said reactor at said reactant inlet; and, e. means for cooling each of said independently controllable temperature zones to a temperature in the range from about -190° C to about +20° C, said temperature being sufficiently low in each zone to cause partially fluorinated second reactant to condense therein as it passes therethrough whereby further fluorination of said second reactant takes place.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
A direct fluorination apparatus comprising, in combination: a. a reactor having a reactant inlet at one end of said reactor and a product outlet at the opposite end of said reactor; b. means for separating said reactor into a plurality of independently controllable temperature zones positioned consecutively within said reactor between the reactant inlet and the product outlet; c. means for introducing a source of first reactant at said reactant inlet, said first reactant being a source of elemental fluorine; d. means for introducing a second gaseous reactant to be fluorinated into said reactor at said reactant inlet; and, e. means for cooling each of said independently controllable temperature zones to a temperature in the range from about -190° C to about +20° C, said temperature being sufficiently low in each zone to cause partially fluorinated second reactant to condense therein as it passes therethrough whereby further fluorination of said second reactant takes place.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for introducing a source of elemental fluorine comprise means for introducing fluorine gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for introducing fluorine gas includes means for introducing an inert gas simultaneously thereby forming a mixture of fluorine gas and the inert gas, and means for controlling the concentration of fluorine gas in said mixture so that a low concentration can be introduced to said reactor and an increasing concentration can be provided as fluorination proceeds within the reactor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus of claim 3 wherein said reactor comprises a column containing metal packings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for separating comprise thermal insulating means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
An apparatus of claim 5 wherein said column packings comprise copper packings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus of claim 6 wherein said reactor is formed from a material which is inert to elemental fluorine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for introducing an inert gas comprises means for introducing nitrogen or helium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for cooling comprise liquid nitrogen temperature control elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for cooling comprise Freon temperature control elements.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus of claim 1 also including means for heating said zones to a temperature above the boiling point of said reactant to be fluorinated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus of claim 5 also including means for heating said zones to a temperature above the boiling point of said reactant to be fluorinated.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
143 words
An apparatus for fluorinating a reactant by contacting it with elemental fluorine comprising, in combination: a. a column reactor having a reactant inlet and a product outlet, said column reactor being packed with a suitable fluorination packing; b. thermal insulating means for dividing said column reactor into a plurality of independently controllable temperature zones; c. temperature control means for lowering the temperature of each of said zones to a temperature below the freezing point of said reactant, said temperature being in the range of from about -190° C to about +20° C; and, d. means for introducing a mixture of elemental fluorine gas and an inert gas into said reactor, said means including metering means for introducing initially a mixture having a low concentration of fluorine gas while subsequently increasing the concentration of fluorine as fluorination of said reactant proceeds within said reactor.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
143 words
An apparatus for fluorinating a reactant by contacting it with elemental fluorine comprising, in combination: a. a column reactor having a reactant inlet and a product outlet, said column reactor being packed with a suitable fluorination packing; b. thermal insulating means for dividing said column reactor into a plurality of independently controllable temperature zones; c. temperature control means for lowering the temperature of each of said zones to a temperature below the freezing point of said reactant, said temperature being in the range of from about -190° C to about +20° C; and, d. means for introducing a mixture of elemental fluorine gas and an inert gas into said reactor, said means including metering means for introducing initially a mixture having a low concentration of fluorine gas while subsequently increasing the concentration of fluorine as fluorination of said reactant proceeds within said reactor.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
A reactor of claim 13 wherein said thermal insulating means divides said column reactor into at least four independently controllable temperature zones.