Process for the production of ethionic acid
View Patent ↗The present invention discloses a process for the production of ethionic acid by reacting ethanol with sulfur trioxide in a molar ratio of 1:2 at a temperature from 40 to 100° C. in a falling film reactor while cooling the reactor with a cooling means.
1. A process for the production of ethionic acid which comprises reacting ethanol in a falling film reactor with sulfur trioxide in a molar ratio of ethanol to sulfur trioxide from 1:2.0 to 1:2.25 while cooling the reactor with a cooling means.
2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the reaction temperature is between 40 to 100° C.
3. The process according to claim 1 wherein ethanol used in the sulfonation is from 85 to 100% and water content is from 0 to 15% in ethanol.
4. The process according to claim 1 wherein ethanol used in the sulfonation may contain methanol, butanone, and isopropanol as denaturants.
5. The process according to claim 1 wherein ethanol is dissolved in ethionic acid to obtain a solution of the concentration from 10% to 75%.
6. The process according to claim 1 wherein sulfur trioxide is pure.
7. The process according to claim 1 wherein sulfur trioxide is diluted to 1% to 12% with air.
8. The process according to claim 1 wherein the falling film reactor is single tube reactor or multi-tube assembly.