Thermal conversion process and apparatus therefor

摘要

The pyrolysis of hydrocarbons is effected in a continuous confined reactor comprising preheat, conversion and quench zones, in which the conversion zone is indirectly heated by combustion of a fuel in a preheated oxidizing gas and the preheat zone is indirectly heated by the combustion products and the quench zone is indirectly cooled by the oxidizing gas which is thereby preheated. The reaction may be one effected at 1200-4000 DEG F. and requiring a heat of reaction of 2000-12,000 B.T.U./pound of reactant. Preferably the reactor is annular having a width of not more than 0.1 inch and a length at least 30 times the width and heat is supplied through the inner wall to the conversion zone at a rate of 20,000-200,000 B.T.U./hr./sq. ft. of surface. The reaction time may be 0.001-0.01 second. Steam, hydrogen or nitrogen may be added to the reactants. In the drawing the reactant introduced by pipe 7 passes through the annulus D between outer and inner tubes 1 and 2 successively through preheat zone A-A1, conversion zone A1-B-B1 and quench zone B1-C and leaves by pipe 16. Oxidizing gas, e.g. air, enters by pipe 12 and passes through annulus E through quench section C-B1. It is then mixed with fuel from pipe 30 in mixing section B1-B and the combustion mixture passes through annulus F formed by the refractory mass 40 and inner tube 2 in conversion zone B-A1 and then through preheat section A1-A before leaving by pipe 13. ALSO:Endothermic reactions such as the pyrolysis of hydrocarbons are effected in a continuous confined reactor comprising preheat, conversion and quench zones, in which the conversion zone is indirectly heated by combustion of a fuel in a preheated oxidizing gas and the preheat zone is indirectly heated by the combustion products and the quench zone is indirectly cooled by the oxidising gas which is thereby preheated. The reaction may be one effected at 1,200-4,000 DEG F. and requiring a heat of reaction of 2,000-12,000 BTU/pound of reactant. Preferably the reactor is annular having a width of not more than 0.1 inch and a length at least 30 times the width and heat is supplied through the inner wall to the conversion zone at a rate of 20,000-200,000 BTU/hr./sq.ft. of surface. The reaction time may be 0.001-0.01 second. Steam, hydrogen or nitrogen may be added to the reactants. In the drawing (not shown) the reactant introduced by pipe 7 passes through the annulus D between outer and inner tubes 1 and 2 successively through preheat zone A-A1, conversion zone A1-B-B1 and quench zone B1-C and leaves by pipe 16. Oxidizing gas, e.g. air enters by pipe 12 and passes through annulus E through quench section C-B1. It is then mixed with fuel from pipe 30 in mixing section B1-B and the combustion mixture passes through annulus F formed by the refractory mass 40 and inner tube 2 in conversion zone B-A1 and then through preheat section A1-A before leaving by pipe 13.