Phthalic Anhydride (Xylene Oxidation)

Abstract

Pressurised air at 3 bar is mixed with o-xylene vapour and is fed to a packed tube reactor. There are 32 tonnes of air per tonne of xylene. This keeps the mixture outside the upper explosive limit. The product gases are passed through switch condensers where the phthalic anhydride (PAN) product collected. When sufficient PAN has condensed, this condenser is isolated and the PAN is melted off.