Investigation of hydrogen removal from electrolytically produced chlorine by radiation-induced reactions

During liquefying electrolytically produced chlorine, hydrogen occurring in crude chlorine accumulates to concentrations above the lower explosion limit and may cause explosions and fires. To prevent such occurrences the radiation-induced combination of hydrogen with chlorine has been investigated. Irradiation with 0.7 MeV electrons from a van de Graaff generator and dose rates ranging from 1.06 x 106 to 4.24 x 106 Gy/h led to g-values of 2 x 103 to 7 x 104, corresponding to a chain reaction with high chain length. Final concentrations of less than 0.2 vol% H2 could be reached in chlorine/hydrogen and chlorine/hydrogen/air mixtures containing not more than 4 vol% H2 and 4 vol% air by applying a dose rate of 2.12 x 106 Gy/h and a residence time of 0.01 min in the irradiation chamber. The method is suitable for industrial applications. (author)