Apparatus for continuously producing water-soluble hydroxyalkyl cellulose and related ethers

US4363784A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hoechst GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Josef Hilbig · Taunusstein, DE
• Arno Holst
• Hans Kunkler · Wiesbaden, DE
• Klaus Stolting · Wiesbaden, DE
• Wolfgang Schminke · Wiesbaden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 27, 1981
• Grant date: Dec 14, 1982
• Expiry date: Apr 27, 2001

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C08B17/06
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Apparatus for continuously producing water-soluble hydroxyalkyl cellulose and related ethers comprising, in combination, the following elements connected in series: a stirred kettle for alkalizing cellulose at atmospheric pressure, at least one stirred autoclave for partially etherifying the alkalized cellulose, individual homogenizing pumps at the outlet of the stirred kettle and at the outlet of each stirred autoclave, individual bypass lines leading from the bottom of the stirred kettle to the upper end thereof and from the bottom of each stirred autoclave to the upper end of the same autoclave for circulating slurry from each vessel in a loop, a tubular reactor comprising a plurality of serially-connected, horizontal tubes for completing the etherification of the cellulose slurry, the first tube of the tubular reactor being provided with a non-conveying, homogenizing agitator, and each subsequent tube being provided with a conveying agitator such as an impeller, means such as a jacket for each section of the tubular reactor for adjusting the temperature of a slurry in the tubular reactor, and cooling tube for cooling etherified slurry withdrawn from the tubular reactor.