Abstract: An improvement in the process of producing polyvinyl chloride by the suspension process in the presence of protective colloids by utilizing a protective colloid mixture of from 20% to 80% of the protective colloid mixture of a polyvinyl acetate having a hydrolysis degree of 40 to 55 mol % and the remainder of the protective colloid mixture of (1) a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol having a hydrolysis degree of 70 to 90 mol %, or (2) an aminoethyl-hydroxypropyl cellulose having a molar substitution of from 0.05 to 1.5 mols of aminoethyl groups and 3 to 5 mols of hydroxypropyl groups, or (3) a vinyl acetate/vinyl pyrrolidone copolymer having a ratio of vinyl pyrrolidone to vinyl acetate in the copolymer of 50% to 70% by weight to 30% to 50% by weight and a K-value of 25 to 40. By the use of this protective colloid mixture, the polyvinyl chloride produced exhibits a large absorption of plasticizer and gives finished products having a low number of specks.

Abstract: A polymerization autoclave for the suspension polymerization of vinyl compounds in the aqueous phase having a volume of from 50 to 200 m.sup.3, an impeller agitator driven from below at the bottom of the autoclave and two cylindrical displacement bodies acting as flow interrupters, secured downwardly from the autoclave dome, where the autoclave has a height-to-diameter ratio of from 2.4 to 3 with a critically dimensioned agitator and critically dimensioned flow interrupter fittings. By the use of this invention in the case large-scale autoclaves, the heat of polymerization can be removed merely by wall-cooling. The autoclave according to the invention are very economical, as shown by, for example, a spatial capacity of 0.3 to 0.4 metric tons of polyvinyl chloride per m.sup.3 autoclave volume.

Abstract: In the process for steam-stripping residual monomer from an aqueous polymer dispersion comprising injecting steam into an aqueous polymer dispersion containing residual monomers and the customary amounts of emulsifiers and/or protective colloids, said dispersion having a solids content of from 15% to 55% by weight with simultaneous evacuation of the gas space above the dispersion whereby said gas space is maintained at a subatmospheric pressure and said residual monomers are volatilized, the improvement consisting of injecting a sufficient volume of steam into said aqueous polymer dispersion whereby from 5% to 50% by weight of the injected steam passes through said dispersion uncondensed, thereby substantially preventing formation of foam above said dispersion.