APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REACTION BOUNDARY SUPPRESSOR SYSTEMS

摘要

In a system in which compressed ethylene is scheduled to flow through pipes, and in which there is danger of decomposition of ethylene and danger of the spreading of a reaction boundary of the exothermic decomposition reaction, a method and means are provided for quenching the advancement of the decomposition. Ethylene is directed from large diameter pipes into an array of spaced apart small diameter tubes which are not overheated when subjected to the combination of head and tail boundaries of the advancing plug of decomposition products. Such overheating of the tubes by the leading and trailing flames can be prevented by cooling the exterior of the tubes with a fluid normally maintained at about ambient temperature, thereby cooling the compressed ethylene sufficiently to quench the decomposition reaction. The cooling fluid is desirably an aqueous system adapted to be converted to steam under severe conditions. A significant depth of liquid is normally maintained above the upper strata of tubes in the reaction boundary suppressors so that the total cooling capacity of the liquid, before evaporation exposes an upper strata of tubes, is significantly greater than in the dormant liquid of a heat exchanger of conventional design. This system of quenching reactions has applicability to facilities featuring the flow of gases other than ethylene. The system comprising the piping for the compressed gas includes such reaction boundary suppressors at locations appropriate for protecting critical zones of compressed gas from the hazard of the advancement of an undesired accidental reaction.