METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PHOSPHORUS PENTOXIDE UNDER USE OF REACTION HEAT

The disclosure relates to a process for making phosphorus pentoxide by subjecting elemental yellow phosphorus to combustion with dried air inside a steel-made combustion chamber with utilization of the reaction heat for the production of energy. To this end, the disclosure provides for the combustion to be effected inside a combustion chamber of which the walls are arranged so as to form a cooling system with cavities therein; for a liquid or liquid/steam-mixture as a heat carrier abstracting the reaction heat to be circulated through the cooling system, the liquid or liquid/steam-mixture assuming an increased temperature being preferably so circulated under increased pressure; for steam formed in the cooling system to be continuously taken therefrom; for an equivalent proportion of fresh liquid to be introduced into the cooling system; for hot P2O5 issuing in vapor form from the combustion chamber to be condensed or worked up into desirable final product, the combustion chamber being a cylindrical vessel with a height/diameter-ratio of 2.5:1 to 5:1 and having 1 to 10 burners disposed axisymmetrically in its circular base plate. The disclosure also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the process.