Apparatus and method for producing carbon black

摘要

Combustion gases containing free oxygen and feed hydrocarbon are introduced into a carbon black reactor, with the combustion gases being at a temperature sufficient to pyrolyze the feed hydrocarbon to produce particulate carbon black. The combustion products are cooled by quenching to form a gaseous effluent containing particulate carbon black. The quenched effluent is discharged from the reactor to an indirect heat exchange means for further cooling the effluent. Control means is provided for producing a signal representative of the rate of heat transfer in the indirect heat exchange means. When the heat transfer rate falls below a predetermined level, the control means closes a valve in the feed hydrocarbon input line to terminate flow of the feed hydrocarbon to the reactor. In the absence of feed hydrocarbon, hot combustion gases flowing through the reactor and the indirect heat exchange means contain sufficient free oxygen to burn out carbon black deposits in the indirect heat exchange means. When the heat transfer rate once again reaches a predetermined level, the control means restarts the flow of feed hydrocarbon into the reactor. The effluent, after cooling in the indirect heat exchange means, is passed to means for separating the effluent into a gas portion and a particulate carbon black portion.