Reply to Comment on 'Optimisation of the Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonation Process for Surfactant Manufacture' and 'Sulfonation Technology for Anionic Surfactant Manufacture':Falling Film SO_3 Sulfonation - Laminar or Turbulent Flow Controversy

摘要

I have studied the letter by Edward Knaggs,whom I have never met but whom I "know" and respect from his massive reputation in sulphonation.I think the issue between us is mainly a matter of definition rather than of substance.I maintain that the film flow is not "pure turbulent"-if it were,then we would have plug flow and a very sharply peaked residence time distribution,and I do not think Knaggs is claiming that it is pure turbulent in that sense.Knaggs argues that the film flow is not "pure laminar",that is there is some turbulence:I would agree with that,and I do say that in the two papers he comments on.However,if I were to write these papers again,I think I would want to make it clearer that without the turbulence contribution,which is more significant than the wording of my papers might perhaps imply(particularly in the upper part of the reactor),the reaction exotherm would not be removed efficiently.