Abstract: A process and a system uses a direct chlorination reactor for producing ethylene dichloride by direct chlorination, without the need for an oxychlorination unit. This ethylene dichloride may be used to make vinyl chloride monomer. In the process for making ethylene dichloride, ethylene and chlorine are both supplied to a direct chlorination reactor. The ethylene reacts with the chlorine to form ethylene dichloride. Chlorine is supplied to the direct chlorination reactor from an electrochemical cell which converts anhydrous hydrogen chloride to dry chlorine gas. This chlorine gas is purified and liquefied to form liquid dry chlorine, and the liquid dry chlorine is recycled to the direct chlorination reactor. The ethylene dichloride may be pyrolyzed to produce vinyl chloride monomer and anhydrous hydrogen chloride.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochemical cell which has an electrode, which may be either an anode or a cathode, and a membrane disposed in contact with one side of the electrode. An anode current bus is disposed on the other side of the anode, and a cathode current bus is disposed on the other side of the cathode. An anode current distributor collects current from the anode current bus and distributes it to the anode by electronic conduction, and a cathode current distributor collects current from the cathode and distributes it to the cathode bus by electronic conduction. The anode or the cathode current distributor is made of a metal which is treated by either nitriding, boriding or carbiding the metal in order to make the metal oxide growth resistant. In particular, the current distributor comprises tantalum that has been nitrided to form Ta.sub.2 N. The current distributor thus provides a barrier between the current bus and the electrode, and the anolyte, catholyte and products of the cell.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for the separation of tar and non-volatile reagents from a reaction mixture formed when chlorinated carbon compounds are allowed to react with anhydrous hydrogen fluoride in a liquid phase to form fluorinated carbon compounds. The disclosed process leaves tar essentially free of HF and in a form allowing for safe, easy, and economical transfer and disposal.

Abstract: A process for separating HCl from pentafluoroethane, chloropentafluoroethane, chlorotrifluoroethane, trifluoromethane, and other fully saturated and unsaturated fluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons and chlorocarbons.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for converting a spent catalyst from conventional fluorination processes into a commercially useful tantalum or niobium oxide such as Ta(OH)5, Ta2O5, Nb(OH)5, or Nb2O5. The process broadly relates to dissolving the spent catalyst into water or an aqueous hydrofluoric acid solution, separating and disposing the undissolved residue, extracting the aqueous solution with a suitable solvent such as methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), and obtaining useful tantalum or niobium oxide products.

Abstract: The present invention discloses azeotropic or azeotrope-like compositions which include HCl that can be employed in a distillation or an extractive distillation process for separating HCl from pentafluoroethane, chloropentafluoroethane, chlorotrifluoroethane, trifluoromethane, and other fully saturated and unsaturated fluorocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons and chlorocarbons.

Abstract: A downcomer used to direct hot flue gases from oxidative combusion of halocarbons into an aqueous medium in a quench tank has improved corrosion resistance when made of rhenuim, molybdenum, or an alloy containing at least 50 wt % molybdenum and having a corrosion rate not exceeding 0.254 mm/yr.