An improved falling‐film reactor for viscous liquids

This paper presents the design of a sulfonation reactor that is intended for enhanced performance when the viscosity of the liquid phase increases, thus reducing gas‐liquid transfer rates. The proposed design allows adequate transfer rates to be maintained by progressively increasing the shear stress exerted by the gas over the liquid film. The effectiveness of the design has been tested in runs in which dodecylbenzene and lauryl alcohol 1.80E are sulfonated/sulfated.