Processing crude 1,2-di:chloroethane from ethylene@ oxychlorination - by direct reaction of chlorine@ and ethylene@, using heat of reaction for evapn. of crude prod. in distn. column prod

A process is claimed for working up the crude 121 dichloroethane (DCE) produced in the oxychlorination reaction, following cleavage of DCE, using the heat released by the direct chlorination (addn.) reaction of chlorine and ethylene; equimol. amts. of chlorine and ethylene are injected into circulating DCE under a reactor, and the heat of reaction is used in the reactor for evapn. of crude DCE. Also claimed is an appts. for carrying out the process with a DCE circulation system comprising a circulating pump (3), a pressure line (11) with inlets (9,10) for chlorine and ethylene, a reactor (1), a line (13) with a pressure holding device (20), a flash evaporator (2) with a connecting line (14) to a condenser (15) and a suction line (12), and a distn. column (4) which is separately connected to the DCE circulation by heat-exchanger surfaces in reactor. USE/ADVANTAGE - The invention provides an improved process and device for the prodn. of pure DCE by direct chlorination, so that the total amt. of chlorinated by-prods. is below 500 ppm and the prod. can be used directly in the cleavage stage to give vinyl chloride; the heat of reaction is used for distn. of the DCE from both the cleavage stream and the oxychlorination stream, and the process does not require a large reactor.