US2613218A - Vacuum neutralization of detergents - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 7, 1952 A. c. STONEMAN VACUUM NEUTRALIZATION OF DETERGENTS 2 SHEETS-*SHEET 1 Filed June 12, 1950 *"ALKANE WEIGH TANK HEAT EXCMNGER HOLDING DEAERATOR INVENTOR.

SPRAY DRYER NEUTRALIZER RECEIVER WEIGH TAN Oct. 7, 1952 A. CJSTONEMAN VACUUM NEUTRALIZA'I ION OF DETERGENTS 2' SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed June 12, 1950 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Oct. 7, 1952 STATES PATENT OFFICE- VACUUM NEUTRALIZATION OF DETERGENTS Alan C. Stoneman, San Marino, Calif., assignor to Pine: Corporation, Ltd., South Gate, Calif., a corporation of California Application J unc 12, 1950, Serial No. 167,642

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to improved methods for the production of organic compounds suitable for use as detergents, and particularly the alkali metal salts. of organic sulfonates and sulfates, which have desirable detergent proper- In many of its major aspects the invention is concerned'primarily witha novel and highly advantageous method for effecting neutralization of a sulfonatedor sulfated stock, all in a manner facilitating and benefiting not only the neutralization stage itself, butalso resulting in the production of a detergent salt, the properties and condition of which permit further processing, as in a final spray drying stage, to give a superior quality commercial product.

At the outset it maybe mentioned that the invention contemplates the use or processing of any suitable organic sulfonates or sulfates, or

mixtures thereof, the molecular structures of which following alkali metalneutralization, display detergent properties. Since various classes of such compounds are well known, it will sufflce to indicate generallyjtheir types and structures. Broadly, such compounds may be regarded as organic sulfates orfsulfonates"containing an aliphatic or alicyclicj part which may or may not be attached to anaromatic'ring, with the aliphatic or alicyclic part being" derived from compounds containing 8- 18 carbon atoms and capable of either direct reaction'to the sulfates or sulfonates, or indirect reaction by combination with an aromatic ring which in turn is capable of reaction to an organic sulfate or, organic sulfonate. Ex-

amples of such reactive 'alkyl radical-containing compounds are found in the 8-l8 carbon olefins, alcohols, fatty acids, alkyl halides, and esters in the aliphatic or alicyclic series. The sulfonic and sulfuric acid derivatives of these compounds may be designated in the following groups: (1) Organic compounds of the general formula RFos a-orr branched, symmetrical or non-symmetrigg] st 1 f taining 8-18 carbon atoms.

fate, dodecane-2-benzene hydrogen sulfate, or in general mixtures in which the 8-18 carbon alkyl radical is derived from aliphatic or alicyclic compounds of either straight or branched, symmetrical or non-symmetrical structure. (3) Organic compounds of the general formula wherein R" is an aliphatic or 'alicyclic' radical containing 8-18 carbon atoms. Examples of this class are dodecane-l-sulfonic acid, undecane-2- sulfonic acid, hexadecane-8-sulfonic acid, or in general mixtures in which the 8-18 carbon alkyl radical is derived from aliphatic or alicyclic compounds of either straight or branched, symmetrical or non symmetrical structure. (4) Organic compounds of the general formula wherein R' is any benzenoid hydrocarbon radical having two or more replaceable nuclear hydrogen atoms (as derived from benzene, toluene, xylene), and at least one nuclear hydrogen atom replaced by an aliphatic or alicyclic radical con- Examples of this class are the aryl substituted alk'anes described in Lewis Patents No. 2,477,382 and'No. 2,477,383. Other examples are n-dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid, n-dodecyl toluene sulfonic acid,"undecane- 2-benzene sulfonic acid, undecaneel-benzyl sulpounds of either straight or branched; symmetrical or non-symmetrical structure'..;l

Since, as indicated, the present invention is concerned primarily with the neutralization stage, and steps beyond, it will be understood that any suitable organic sulfo'nates or sulfates, or mixtures thereof, included in the designated class "erivnd or produced in any appropriate manadditives, to a desirably high density commercial.

product. It has been found that the temperature of neutralization, reaction rates, admixture of the reactants and simplicity in the overall neutralization operation, are obtainable by 'conducting the neutralization of an aqueous solution of the reactants under low pressures and temperatures maintained within a range that is found to have a significant relation to the most desirable qualities of the neutralization product.

In accordance with. the invention, provision .is made for contacting and 1-intimately .admixing the acid sulfonated or .sulfated hydrocarbon 'stockwith a suitable alkaline neutralizingsolution; preferably: .alkali metal hydroxide solution,

:under *conditions effecting such completeness .and intimacy of contact as willpromote complete reaction to the point .of neutralization and formation of the detergent alkalimetal salt. Of

critical importance .is the maintenance of the reactants under low temperatureconditions assuring stabilization .-of the desired molecular structure of the-salt, and'at low pressure resulting in the freeing of volatiles from the material, all to the end that the productwill be of high quality with respect to color andfreedomirom excessive contaminants. .Of further importance in relation to final drying ofa neutralized slurry,

is the formation and maintenance of theslurry during neutralization, under low pressureand temperature conditions within particular ranges that have been found to result in desirably high .densityof the finished product.

' The neutralization stage preferably .is conducted byfirst intimately admixingthe .acid' stock and caustic solution inturbulent and high velocity streamswithin a small mixing zone from which the resulting mixture issprayed andatomized in'finely divided'formwithin an evacuated chamber maintained at a low ,absolute' pressure within the range of about-9 to 88 mm. of mercury and at a corresponding water vapor temperature within a range of about 50 F. to 120 F. It-is found that operating within this pressure and temperature rangegivesto the neutralized salt the desirable-light color and purity referred to in' the foregoing,- and tothe resulting slurry a viscosity maintainable within the range .of:500 to 1500.centipoises at 100 .F., contributing to the desirably high .density of the finished product. To. assure, most efficient distribution 'andintimacy of contact between the reactants at the point of their admixture, as within .a spray nozzle, provision ismade formaintaining ;a continuous. recirculationof the slurry into the nozzle, the. slurry constituting an alkali carrier as a dispersing and solubilizing medium for promoting fine particle division andreaction of the acidic and alkalinematerials.

According to :a preferred method of eration, the neutralization process is started using 'a measured quantity of caustic solution placed in the vessel or vessels constituting, .in

" effect, the low pressure neutralizingzone, alkali content-of the'solution being substantially the in the mixture. slurry more particularly dealt with stoichiometrical equivalent of a measured quantity of the acidic stock to be neutralized. At the start of and throughout neutralization cycle, the acid stock is fed at a measured rate to a stream of the caustic solution being continuously recirculated from an accumulated body in the'low pressure zone to the spray nozzle, all

ina manner such that'as neutralization progresses, the caustic solution acquires increasing quantities of the neutralized salt, and the character of a slurry, while the solution or slurry continuously loses water by reason of the low pressure-induced vaporization. At all times dur- ;ing.zthe.neutralization however, the slurry contains-reactivealkali at concentrations which are at least sufficient for complete neutralization of the acid stock. Thus, recirculation of the slurry and feeding of the acid stock continue until the entire measured quantity of the latter is taken into the neutrallzer.

Thereafter, the, neutralized residue may be iven any f-urtherndesired disposition or treatment. .-Preferab1y,,.I control the neutralization ,to produce a final slurry having a viscosity within .the indicated range, which then may be spray dried, ordinarily following addition to the slurry of suitable builders or.fillers. While as previously explained, the .slurry is advantageously preconditioned bythe present methods to provmote formation of a .desirably high density spray-dried product, it is found that the quality of the product in this respect may be further improved by. subjecting the slurry, and following incorporation therein .of any. additives, to a final deaeration atsufficiently. low pressure to effect the removal of air and volatiles present Thisifinal .deaeration of the m copending application 'Ser. No. 167,086 entitled Deaeration, and Drying of. Water-Soluble SulfonatedDetergent Compositions, and filed on even date herewith.

...-.All tlie'various features and objects of the invention, as .well as the details of certain typical and illustrativeprocedures. will be explained to best.,adva'ntage 'in the following description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

vFig.1 is a flow sheet illustration. of the process; ,Fig..2.is ajfragmentarysectional view of the neutralizer chamber;

Fig. .3is an enlarged fragmentary section on line 3--3..of, Fig.2; and

Fig. l is a cross section on line 44 of Fig. 3. Merelyas illustrative of the derivation of the acidic hydrocarbon stockv to be treated, Fig. 1 showsia preliminary sulfonation stage employ .ing weighing tanks!!! and I I, the former containing any suitable alkane, i. e., sulfonatable or sulfatable hydrocarbon. .or hydrocarbon mixtures'jtypicelly.a. mixture of benzenoid hydrocarbons. having two. or. more hydrocarbon atoms, replaceable by sulf-onation, the benzenoid radical having an attached alkyl group containing 8 to 18 carbon atoms. Tank Il may contain 25% JSOllllliOHOLOlGllIll. From the weigh tanks, the :alkanezand-acid arefed'through lines l2 and I3 to :thegsulfonator M wherein the materials are subjectedqtosuitable mixing and mechanical agitation. :Fromthe sulfonator the mixture is pumped through line I 5 and the water cooled heat exchanger IE to be recirculated back into the sulfonator through line ll. When the sulfonation-is-complete, the material is pumped through lines {8 into one or the other of the holding tanks [9. The latter thus will be understood to contain a predeterminedquantity of the inlet passage 40.

5. sulfonate of known total acidity. Delivery of the sulfonate from one or the other of tanks Hi to the neutralizer, generally indicated at 20, occurs through line 21 containing the pump 22.

The neutralizing equipment in its entirety is regarded as including a closed chamber 23 communicating through line 24 with one ,or the other of the closed receiver weigh tanks 26 and 21, the latter being located below chamber 23 a distance at least as great as the height of a barometric water leg, and for example about 40 feet. With chamber 23 evacuated in the manner already explained, and in communication with tanks 26 or 21 through line 24, the neutralizer chamber and the weigh tank in communication therewith during a neutralizing operation, may together be regarded as constituting the entire neutralizing zone, and chamber the low pressure part of the neutralizing zone. The solution or slurry in the chamber 23 may dis-charge downwardly by gravity through line 24 into the weigh tank, in which event line 24 may take the form of a straight vertical barometric leg. Or for such purposes as to economize in the structural or building height required to accommodate the neutralizer equipment in a vertical distance less than the height of a barometric leg, I; may discharge the slurry from the neutralizer down into the weigh tank by one or a series of pumps in branch 24a of line 24, withbranch 24b closed or eliminated. As will be understood,xthe displacement capacity of the pump or pumps will be sufficient for maintenance of the specified pressure conditions in chamber 23.

The sulfonated stock is delivered from line 2| into an annular header 28 at the top of the neutralizing chamber 23 and from which the stock is fed through branches 29 to spray heads or nozzles (typically four), generally indicated at 30, mounted in circularly spaced arrangement in the headof the chamber. Referring to Fig. 4, each spray head comprises a nozzle 3| threaded into an opening 32 in the chamber shell and having an inside concave face 33 to which fluid is discharged from an upper concavity 34 in the nozzle, through opening 35. Each spray head has a body 36 threaded at 31 on the nozzle and containing a mixing chamber 38 in axial alinement with the nozzle. The sulfonate is discharged from header 28 through fitting 39 and passage 40 tangentially into the chamber 38.

As will appear, continuously during the neutralization, a quantity of the solution or slurry contained in one or the other of tanks 26 and 21 in use at the time is recirculated to the spray heads by pump 4| through line 42 connecting with header 43. From the header, the slurry is discharged through branches 44, fitting 45 and passage 46 leading tangentially into the mixing chamber 38, at 90 degrees from the sulfonate The two streams thus being discharged through the restricted passages and 46 tangentially and in the same direction within chamber 38 undergo turbulent and thorough mixing, with intimacy of contact between the reactants being promoted by reason of the solubilizing and dispersing functions of those components of the recirculated stream in addition to the caustic. Since the rate of delivery of the recirculated stream to the mixing chamber 38 is desirably in volume excess over the rate of sulfonate delivery thereto, passage 46 may be made somewhat larger than the bore 40.

Chamber 23 and the communicating receiver 26 or 21, are evacuated as by way of a head 48 connected to the shell vapor outlet 49 and com- 6. municating through duct 50 with the conventionally illustrated steam ejector 5|. As previously indicated, the absolute pressure within chamber 23 and the communicating weigh tank is maintained within a range of 9 to 88 mm. of mercury, at which pressure the temperature of the slurry becomes established in accordance with the cooling effect of the water vaporization within the range of about 50 to 120 F. By reason of the lowpressure in the neutralizer and the form of the nozzles 3 I, therecirculated slurry components are discharged in finely atomized spray patterns within chamber 23, and the resultant slurry is taken on down through line 24 into the weigh tank. Water vapor formed in the low pressure chamber is drawn off to the ejector through outlet 49, below which is mounted a baffle 491 to prevent spray loss.

At this point it may be mentioned that preparatory to the neutralizing circulation, a weighed quantity of solution containing caustic soda in a quantity substantially stoichiometrically equivalent to the sulfonate, is. contained in one of the tanks 26 or 21. At the start of neutralization, the recirculated stream is caustic soda solution, and as neutralization continues with formation of the sodium sulfonate salts, the caustic solution becomes progressively a slurry of increasing salt concentration, until finally at the point of neutralization of all the sulfonate charge, substantially all the caustic may have become consumed. At this stage of complete neutralization, the slurry and tank 26 or 21 is brought within a viscosity range of from 500 to 1500 centipoises at 100 F.

The following is a tabulation of data in a typical run:

Table I Alkane in tank l0 10,000 lbs. 25% oleum in tank H 10,775 lbs. 25.4 Baum caustic soda solution 39,230 lbs.

(19.5%) in receiver 26 or 21. Acid addition time to sulfonaton- 14 hrs. 35

- mm. Maximum temperature during 93 F.

acid addition to sulfonator. Maximum temperature during di- 94 F.

gestion in sulfonator. Time of sulfonic acid delivery to 12 hrs. 25

' neutralizer. min. Total potential amount of water 35,000 lbs.

available. Total water removed by evapora- 4,400 lbs.

tion. Average flow rate of sulfonic acid 2.5 gals. per

to neutralizer. min. Approximate recirculation rate of 40 to gals. caustic and slurry. per min. Neutralizer chamber temperature to 120 F. Vacuum chamber absolute pres- 12 to 31 mm. sure. mercury.

The slurry produced was found to have approximately the following analysis:

Table II Active detergent content per cent..- 27.3 Salt Cake (NazSOc) per cent 21.2 Unreacted stock per cent 0.3 pH of slurry 8.3 Reflectance color 73 Viscosity at F c. p. s 900 Considering now further treatment of the slurry, following completion of the neutralization cycle, theslurry is taken from tank 26 or 2lgby way of line 55 and isdlscharged-by pump 56 through line 51 into :an appropriate mixer 58, wherein there may be added to the'slurry any suitable builder or builders (such as soda ash, sodium bicarbonate, alkali-metalsilicate, borax, alkali metal phosphate, sodium citrate or sodium carboxy methyl. cellulose), together with any of the usual fillers (such as sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, fullers earth or'silica) L. As illustrative, the mixer 38 isshown to have an additive'inlet 59 and to contain a suitable agitator El. During the mixing, air is introduced to and retained by the mixture in quantities tending to lower the density of the final spray dried product below the higher density desired for the active concentration of the product.

This condition is cured by discharging the mixture by pump 6! through line 62 into a deaerator 63 comprising an enlarged chamber evacuated through line 54 tdmaintain within the chamber an absolute pressurewithin the range of about from 50 to 250 mm. of mercury. The mixture is discharged into the chamber through an appropriate spray head 65 so that the materials become finely dispersed and therefore efficiently deaerated in the low pressure atmosphere. From the deaeratonthe slurry is discharged by pump 66 throughline- Bl into a spray drier 68, for example of 'the'type Shown in my copending application "Ser. No. 72,427, on Spray Drier, filed January 24, 1949. In the' drier the slurry is air-dispersed and dehydrated to form a finished granular product continuously discharged at 69 from the bottom of the drier.

I claim:

l. The method of neutralizing an acidic stock of the class consisting of sulfonated and sulfated organic compounds having an aliphatic radical containing between about 8 to 18 carbon atoms 1 and the alkali metal salts of'which have detergent properties, that includes converting said stock to a slurry of a water dispersable alkali metal salt thereof by discharging a mixture of said stock and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in finely divided form openly and through an extended path within the atmosphere of a zone maintained at an absolute pressure between about 9 to 88 mm. of mercury and at a temperature between about 50 to 120 F., V

cury and at a temperature betweenabout 50 to 120 F. said stock in an aqueous mixture ,to a water dispersable alkali metal salt thereof contained in a fiowableslurry by discharging a mixture of said stock and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in finely divided form openly and through an extended path within the of the 'class consisting of sulfonated and sulfated organic. compounds having an aliphatic radical containing between about 8 to '18 carbon atoms and the alkali metal salts of which have detergent properties, that includes converting at an absolute pressure between about 9 to 88 mm. of mercury and at a temperature between about 50 to 120 F'.- said stock in an aqueous mixture to a water dispersable alkali metal salt thereof contained in a fiowable slurry having at 100 F. a viscosity between about 500 to 1500 centipoises' by discharging a mixture of said stock and an aqueous-solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in finely divided form openly and through an extended path within the atmosphere at a zone maintained under said pressure, limiting dehydration of the mixture to produce a flowable slurry, and continuously flowing theslurry from said zone during its formation.

4. The method of neutralizing an acidic stock of the class consisting of sulfonated and sulfated organic compounds having an aliphatic radical containing between about 8 to 18. carbon atoms and the alkali metal salts of which ha /edetergent'properties, that includes discharging a stream of said stock together with an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution into a zone maintained at a subatrnospheric pressure between about 9 to 88 mm. of mercury and, at a temperature between about 50 F. to 120 wherein the resulting mixture is cooled by water vaporization from the mixture caused by the low pressure in the zone, limiting dehydration 0f the mixture to produce a fiowable slurry recirculating an aqueous slurry of reacted stock and alkali from said zone into said stream of the stock being discharged into, said zone and flowing the product slurry from said zone.

5. The method of neutralizing an acidic stock of the class consisting of sulfonated and sulfated organic compounds having an aliphatic radical containing between 3 to 18 carbon atoms and the alkali metal salts of which have detergent properties, that includes spraying a stream of said stock together with an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution openly and in free falling dispersion within a zone maintained at a subatmospheric pressure wherein the resulting mixture is cooled by water vaporization from the mixture caused by the low pressure in the zone, the mixture being maintained in said zone at an absolute pressure between about 9 to 88 mm. of mercury and at a temperature between about 50 to. 120 F., repeatedly and continuously recirculating an aqueous slurry of reacted stock andalkali from said zoneinto said stream of the stock and throughout the period of its sprayed injection into said zone, and continuously depleting the water content of the recirculated slurry by the low pressure induced water vaporization to produce a fiowable and pumpable slurry.

6. The method of neutralizing a quantity of an acidic stock of the class. consisting of detergent-forming sulfonated and sulfated organic compounds having an aliphatic radical containing between 8 to 18 carbon atoms with an aqueous solution of a substantially stoichiometrieal quantity of an alkali metal hydroxide, that includes maintaining said alkali solution in a low pressure zone, continuously evacuating said zon and maintaining therein a pressure between about 9 to 88 mm. of mercury and an essentially water vaporv atmosphere having a temperature between about 50". F. to 120 F., continuously injecting a stream of said stock into a relatively small mixing zone and then immediately in spray form into said low pressure zone, continuously recirculating said alkali solution together with neutralized acidic compounds from said low pressure zone into said mixing zone substantially throughout injection of said stock into the zone so that the alkali solution and neutralized compound are intimately mixed with the stock and immediately sprayed therewith into the low. pressure zone and the recirculation is continued until all the acidic stock is neutralized,.limiting dehydration of the mixture to produce a flowable slurry, and flowing the slurry from said zone.

'1. The method of neutralizing an acidic detergent-forming stock composed predominately of a mixture of benzenoid hydrocarbons in which the benzenoid radical has an attached alkyl group containing between 8 to 18 carbon atoms and has at least one hydrogen atom replaced by an -OSO2OH radical, that includes converting said stock to a slurry of a water dispersable alkali metal salt thereof by discharging a mixture of said stock and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in finely divided form openly and through an extended path within the atmosphere of a zone maintained at an absolute pressure between about 9 to 88 mm. of mercury and at a temperature between about 50 to 120 F., limiting dehydration of the mixture to produce a flowable slurry, and flowing the slurry from said zone.

8. The method of neutralizing with a quantity of an alkali metal hydroxide a substantially stoichiometrical quantity of an acidic detergentforming stock composed predominately of a mixture of benzenoid hydrocarbons in which the benzenoid radical has an attached alkyl group containing between 8 to 18 carbon atoms and has at least one hydrogen atom replaced by an -OSO2OH radical, that includes maintaining said alkali solution in a lower collecting zone, continuously injecting a stream of said stock into a relatively small mixing zone and then immediately in spray form into an enlarged low pressure neutralizing zone above the collecting zone and from which the sprayed material passes into the collecting zone, continuously recirculating said alkali solution together with neutralized stock from said collecting zone into said mixing zone substantially throughout spraying of said stock into the zone so that the recirculated alkali and neutralized stock are intimately mixed with and in larger quantity than the stock and immediately sprayed therewith into the low pressure zone, continuously evacuating said neutralizing zone and maintaining the material therein at a pressure between about 9'to 88 mm. of mercury and at a temperature between about 50 F. to 120 F., continuously depleting said slurry of its water content by virtue of the existent pressure to produce a flowable slurry having a viscosity at 100 F. between about 500 to 1500 centipoises, and continuously flowing said slurry from said neutralizing zone downwardly into the collecting zone.

9. The method of producing a detergent product from a base stock of the class consisting of sulfonated and sulfated organic compounds having an aliphatic radical containing between about 8 to 18 carbon atoms and the alkali metal salts of which have detergent properties, that includes converting said stock to an aqueous slurry of a water dispersable alkali metal salt of the stock by discharging a mixture of said stock and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in finely divided form openly and through an. ex-' tended path within the atmosphere of a zone maintained at an absolute pressure between about 9 to 88 mm. of mercury and at a temperaturebetween about 50 to 120 FE, limiting de-p sulfonated and sulfated organic compounds hav,-- ing an aliphatic radical containing between 8 to 18 carbon atoms and the alkali metal salts of which have detergent properties, that includes converting said stock to an aqueous slurry of a water dispersable alkali metal salt of the stock by spraying a mixture of said stock and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in finely divided form openly and through an extended path within the atmosphere of a zone maintained at an absolute pressure between about 9 to 88 mm. of mercury and at a temperature between about 50 F. to 120 F., limiting dehydration of the mixture to produce a flowabl slurry, mixing solid additives with the slurry, deaerating the resulting mixture at an absolute pressure between about 50 to 250 mm. of mercury, and spray drying the deaerated mixture.

11. The method of neutralizing an acidic stock of the class consisting of sulfonated and sulfated organic compounds having an aliphatic radical containing between about 8 to 18 carbon atoms and the alkali metal salts of which have detergent properties, that includes converting said stock to a slurry of a water dispersable alkali metal salt thereof by spraying a mixture of said stock and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in finely divided form openly and through an extended path within the atmosphere of a zone maintained at an absolute pressure between about 9 to 68 mm. of mercury and at a temperature between about 50 to 120 F., limiting dehydration of the mixture to produce a flowable slurry, flowing the slurry into a drying zone and therein spray drying the slurry to produce a granular product.

12. The method of neutralizing an acidic detergent-forming stock composed predominately of a mixture of benzenoid hydrocarbons in which the benzenoid radical has an attached alkyl group containing between 8 to 18 carbon atoms and has at least one hydrogen atom replaced by an --OSO2OH radical, that includes converting said stock to a slurry of a Water dispersable alkali metal salt thereof by discharging a mixture of said stock and an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide in finely divided form openly and through an extended path within the atmosphere of a zone maintained at an absolute pressure between about 9 to 88 mm. of mercury and at a temperature between about 50 F. to 120 F.,1imiting dehydration of the mixture to produce a flowable slurry, mixing a solid additive with the slurry, and spray drying the resulting mixture.

13. The method of neutralizing an acidic stock of the class consisting of sulfonated and sulfated organic compounds having an aliphatic radical containing between about 8 to 18 carbon atoms and the alkali metal salts of which have detergent properties, that includes converting said stock to a slurry of a water dispersable alkali metal salt I thereof by intimately mixing the acidic stock and 11; 12'; ti-velysmall mixing; zonmthensuddenly dis- REFEREN.CES."CITED charging the\hig1i:ve1ocity1mixturein finely divid- The foll i references are of record in tha edflform openly-andtthrough anextended path fileoithis patent: withinthe atmosphere of. an enlarged zone maintained'at an absolute pressure between about 9 v 5; UNITED STATESPATENTS' to: 88 mm. of mercurytand at a temperature bee Number Name Date tween-'.ab'out-:5-0 F.' to 120 F. at which the mix- 1,968,797 Bertsch.. Ju-1y31, 1934 ture-particlesundergo cooling-by virtue of Water 2,162,269: Mikeska June-.13, 1939 vaporization therefrom induced by the low pres- 2,187,244" Mills Jan. 16, 1940 sure, Iimitingdehydfatmn of the mixture in said 10 2,20 ,037" H nk1 ne 4 zoneto produce a-- flbwable slurry, and'fl'owing 2,316,670 Colgateet a1; Aprp13, 1943 the slurry from saidzone.

ALAN "C; STONEMAN.'

Claims (1)

1. THE METHOD OF NEUTRALIZING AN ACIDIC STOCK OF THE CLASS CONSISTING OS SULFONATED AND SULFATED ORGANIC COMPOUNDS HAVING AN ALIPHATIC RADICAL CONTAINING BETWEEN ABOUT 8 TO 18 CARBON ATOMS AND THE ALKALI METAL SALTS OF WHICH HAVE DETERGENT PROPERTIES, THAT INCLUDES CONVERTING SAID STOCK TO A SLURRY OF A WATER DISPERSABLE ALKALI METAL SALT THEREOF BY DISCHARGING A MIXTURE OF SAID STOCK AND AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF AN ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE IN FINELY DIVIDED FORM OPENLY AND THROUGH AN EXTENDED PATH WITHIN THE ATMOSPHERE OF A ZONE MAINTAINED AT AN ABSOLUTE PRESSURE BETWEEN ABOUT 9 TO 88 MM. OF MERCURY AND AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 50* TO 120* F., LIMITING DEHYDRATION OF THE MIXTURE TO PRODUCE A FLOWABLE SLURRY, AND FLOWING THE SLURRY FROM SAID ZONE.

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