Ethylene Oxide by Direct Oxidation over Silver

Ethylene oxide is made by oxidising ethylene with oxygen over a silver catalyst on alumina, at 200–300 °C and 1–3 MPa. Water scrubs the oxide out of the reactor gas; it is stripped and distilled. It is a very flammable, toxic and carcinogenic gas, the feed for ethylene glycol. The picture: our diagram of reactor, scrubber and column.