Process for the production of chlorine dioxide

1 . A process for the production of chlorine dioxide, said process comprising the steps of continuously:

feeding to a reactor an acid, alkali metal chlorate and a reducing agent;

reacting the alkali metal chlorate with the acid and the reducing agent to form a product stream comprising chlorine dioxide, water and alkali metal salt of the acid; and,

bringing the product stream from the reactor to an eductor and mixing it with a gaseous motive stream fed to the eductor and thereby forming a diluted product stream.

2 . A process as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a steps of:

bringing the diluted product stream to a gas-liquid separator;

separating gas from liquid in the diluted product stream to form a gas stream comprising chlorine dioxide; and,

withdrawing the gas stream comprising chlorine dioxide from the gas-liquid separator.

3 . A process as claimed in claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:

bringing the gas stream comprising chlorine dioxide from the gas-liquid separator to an absorber;

contacting said gas stream with a flow of water to form an aqueous solution containing chlorine dioxide; and,

withdrawing the aqueous solution containing chlorine dioxide from the absorber.

4 . A process as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

bringing the diluted product stream to an absorber;

contacting the diluted product stream with a flow of water to form an aqueous solution containing chlorine dioxide; and,

withdrawing the aqueous solution containing chlorine dioxide from the absorber.

5 . A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the product stream from the reactor comprises both liquid and gas.

6 . A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the diluted product stream from the eductor comprises both liquid and gas.

7 . A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gaseous motive stream fed to the eductor is a gas or mixture of gases that is inert in respect of chlorine dioxide.

8 . A process as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the gaseous motive stream fed to the eductor is air.

9 . A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reactor is a through-flow vessel or a pipe.

10 . A process as claimed claim 9 , wherein the acid, the alkali metal chlorate and the reducing agent are fed close to one end of the reactor while the product stream is withdrawn at the other end of the reactor.

11 . A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the reducing agent is hydrogen peroxide.

12 . A process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the acid is sulphuric acid.

13 . Production unit for the production of chlorine dioxide, said unit comprising:

a reactor provided with one or more feed inlets for acid, reducing agent and alkali metal chlorate; and

an eductor connected to the reactor provided with an inlet for a gaseous motive stream, means for mixing a product stream comprising chlorine dioxide from the reactor with the gaseous motive stream to obtain a diluted product stream, and an outlet for said diluted product stream.

14 . Production unit as claimed in claim 13 further comprising a gas-liquid separator connected to the outlet of the eductor, means for withdrawing a gas stream comprising chlorine dioxide from the gas-liquid separator.

15 . Production unit as claimed in claim 14 further comprising an absorber and means for bringing the gas stream comprising chlorine dioxide from the gas-liquid separator to the absorber.

16 . Production unit as claimed in claim 13 further comprising an absorber and means for bringing the diluted product stream from the eductor to the absorber.