The present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for dehydrochlorination of chlorinated alkanes, in particular to a process for preparing
vinyl chloride by catalytic thermal
cracking of 1,2-
dichloroethane, in which the heat required for the thermal
cracking is supplied via a liquid or condensing
heat transfer medium or by direct electrical heating, and hot process streams are additionally used for heating of heat sinks in the process of preparing 1,2-
dichloroethane or
vinyl chloride. The present invention further provides a
plant for preparing
vinyl chloride by catalytic thermal
cracking of 1,2-
dichloroethane, in which the heat required for the thermal cracking and for the preceding preheating,
evaporation and optional
superheating of the 1,2-dichloroethane is supplied via a liquid or condensing
heat transfer medium or by direct electrical heating, comprising at least one
heat exchanger for preheating a liquid 1,2-dichloroethane
stream, at least one
evaporation apparatus, consisting of a
heat exchanger and, optionally, a phase separation vessel, for evaporating a liquid 1,2-dichloroethane
stream, optionally at least one
heat exchanger for
superheating a gaseous 1,2-dichloroethane
stream, and at least one reactor for thermal catalytic conversion of 1,2-dichloroethane to vinyl
chloride and
hydrogen chloride. The invention further relates to a
plant for preparing vinyl
chloride by catalytic thermal cracking, in which at least some of the apparatuses and devices detailed above are components of prefabricated modules.