Ethylene and chlorine $($streams $1$ and $2)$ are fed in stoichiometric amounts at $25C$ and $1$ atm to a $1\mathrm{.}5$atm bubble column reactor $(R-100)$ that circulates the reactant gases via sparger dispersion through liquid $1,2-$dichloroethane that is maintained at $90C$ by a cold$-$water stream $100).$ The bubble column reactor design maximizes ethylene mass transfer and its use in industry is well$-$characterized $($Orejas$,2001).$ The product stream exiting the direct chlorination reactor is a $97\%$ pure $1,2-$dichloroethane stream $($stream $3)$ with limited side reaction and unreacted feed compounds. R$-100$ also contains ferric chloride that acts as a Lewis acid catalyst, polarizing chlorine to increase its electrophilic activity and encourage attack on ethylene's double bond $($Wachi & Asai, Kinetics of $1,2-$Dichloroethane Formation from Ethylene and Cupric Chloride, $1994).$

The $1,2-$dichloroethane stream is joined by a recycle $($producing stream $4)$ and fed through a centrifugal pump $(P-100$; stream $5)$ and a fired$-$heat evaporator $(E-101$; stream $6)$ to achieve pressurization to $26$atm, complete vaporization, and a temperature increase to $500C.$ This stream is flown into a pyrolysis furnace at the same temperature and pressure, where it is primarily converted to vinyl chloride. Although a catalytic pyrolysis method exists, similar conversion levels can be reached without a catalyst, making the non$-$catalytic approach a simpler, less expensive, and more favorable method $($Dreher$,$ Torkelson, & Beutel, $2012$; Rus, $2013).$ The furnace contents are transferred to a quench tank ; stream $7$