Document gbB6wyvRjzy7omEvNm49pNmLe
INTERNAL CORRESPONDENCE
CHEMICALS AND PLASTICS
To (Nam*)
Division !_cest:on
to
Mr. R. N. Wheeler South Charleston Plant
P. O. BOX 8361, SOUTH CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA 25303
at
originating Dept. --
October 9, 197*1
Engineering
History of Vinyl Chloride Production by Union Carbide
Dear Mr. Wheeler:
In response to your question as to when Union Carbide first made vinyl chloride commercially, I am attaching the first page of a report "The Manufacture of Crude Vinyl Chloride." This report ts report number 3 In a volume of reports entitled Vinyl Chloride - 1927-19*0 Miscellany, Volume I, Engineering Department, Carbide and Carbon; Chemicals Company, South Charleston, West Virginia. Unfortunately, the author of the report is not identified, and the report is not dated.
Nevertheless, the attached page indicates that vinyl chloride production by Carbide began in 1929*
Very truly yours,
*
WRM:md Attachment
W. R. Manning Engineering Manager Vinyl Monomers and Resins
UCC 070572
* bn;UTZ 'T!iT'SL CHLORIDE
I. history :
rnv -t
C\"
2 L,
of
s prediction of t;--produce vir.pl
...Xoi'i^e from riie 1/L.roiys .s of euhyione die:,lor ids in causric
solutions is contained in the report mentioned in the references.
Prior to December, 1929, the dattand for vinyl chloride was met by the reoovery of by-product vinyl chloride made during the hydrolysis of ethylene dichloride to ethylene glycol. From December,
r>!9, re July, 1931, si.orr runs were made on the #2 dichloride hydrolysis unit to jTC CAJlw c vinyl chloride. This crude vinyl chloride ras refined in a small still in building 42. During July, L931, the vinyl chloride refining still at the Vinylite department was put in operation.. Tie vinyl chloride still in building 42 was dismantled.
Since Jul..1, 1931, ell of the vinyl chloride used at the
linylire department has been produced by the hydrolysis of ethylene dichloride in a caustic solution. Sketch 10039 shows the production of vinyl chloride since 1928.
Operating conditions and equipment have often been changed in efforts to determine the most economical process to obtain the best
product. A summary of these changes and the results will be given.
The length of time, and frequency that this unit is run is determined by the demand of the Vinylite department. During 1932 and 1933 the unit ran about five dayw eaoh month.
PHYSICAL PHQPEmSS:
4. Products;
1. Vinyl Chloride:
Molecular weight;
Specific Gravity at B*P* , . '....*9692. , .
x*
Boiling Point; Latent heat' of VBpearlaatSstt'-S
l6. ' ;'' V
(calculated)
'k-'V *vTT
UCC 070573