Inventors:
John R. Alberty - Baton Rouge LA
International Classification:
C02F 510
Abstract:
Production of propylene oxide by hydrolysis of propylene chlorohydrin in an aqueous alkaline reaction medium having a pH above 12 and a temperature of at least about 85. degree. C. , is conducted in the presence of a small scale-inhibiting amount of a scale inhibitor added as a water-soluble polymer of acrylic acid having a weight average molecular weight in the range of about 1000 to about 5000, and in the absence of any phosphorus-containing additive component. A significant increase in acrylic polymer performance occurs under these high pH conditions as compared to performance at lower pH. Moreover, experiments have shown that no scale deposits were formed in a hydrolyzer unit operated for 180 days under conditions which normally require removal of deposits after 90 days of operation.