Abstract:
Waste gas mixtures containing hydrogen chloride, phosgene and possibly other impurities are worked up by the steps of: (a) removing hydrogen chloride, as concentrated hydrochloric acid, from the waste gas mixture by adiabatic absorption with water and/or dilute hydrochloric acid; (b) conducting the gas mixture, containing steam liberated in step (a) and phosgene, at temperatures above the dew point of the mixture over active carbon; (c) condensing the hydrogen chloride formed in step (b) by reaction between phosgene and steam; and (d) separating the hydrochloric acid from the residual constituents of the gas mixture. Prior to step (a), the waste gases may be treated, preferably at a temperature above the dew point of the mixture, with active carbon to remove other organic and/or inorganic impurities; after being charged with impurities, this active carbon may be regenerated by treatment with a portion of the waste gas mixture at a temperature of from 150 DEG to 250 DEG C., the regeneration gas mixture being returned to the remainder of the waste gas mixture after removal of the adsorbed impurities, for example by passing through a gas condenser. Between steps (a) and (b), extra steam may be added to the gas mixture to make the molar ratio of water to phosgene at least 1; 1, and advantageously between 5: 1 and 20: 1. The hydrochloric acid separated in step (d) may be used as the absorption medium in step (a). Examples describe the treatment of waste gas mixtures containing hydrogen chloride, phosgene and 1,2-dichlorobenzene, both with and without removal of the latter in a prior adsorption step, using apparatus which is described and illustrated.