Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Jack I Ito

Frank Hershkowitz

Harry William Deckman

Robert P Reynolds

Leonard Schoenman

Constantine P Gonatas

John W Fulton

Russell J Koveal

LeRoy R Clavenna

James H Taylor, Jr

Lavanga R Veluswamy

Leroy Russell Clavenna

Costas A Coulaloglou

Alfredo M Lopez

A novel injector/reactor apparatus and an efficient process for the partial oxidation of light hydrocarbon gases, such as methane, to convert such gases to useful synthesis gas for recovery and/or subsequent hydrocarbon synthesis. Sources of a light hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas are preheated and pressurized and injected through an injector means at high velocity into admixture with each other in the desired relative proportions, at a plurality of mixing nozzles which are open to the catalytic partial oxidation reaction zone and are uniformly-spaced over the face of the injector means, to form a reactant gaseous premix having a pressure drop equal to at least about 3% of the lowest upstream pressure of either of said gases. The gaseous premix is injected in a time period which is less than its autoignition time, preferably less than 9 milliseconds, at a velocity between about 25 to 1000 feet/second, into a catalytic partial oxidation zone so that the gaseous premix reacts in the presence of the fixed catalyst to reduce the amounts of CO,, H,O and heat produced by the partial oxidation reaction, to form a useful syngas which is cooled and recovered.

Distributed injection catalytic partial oxidation process and apparatus for producing synthesis gas

A novel fluidized bed syngas (FBSG) injector/reactor apparatus and an efficient process for the partial oxidation and steam reforming of light hydrocarbon gases such as methane, to convert such gases to useful synthesis gas containing CO and H.sub.2 for recovery and/or subsequent hydrocarbon synthesis. Sources of a light hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas are preheated and pressurized and injected through gas orifices of an injector at high velocity and comparable momentums into admixture with each other in the desired proportions, at a plurality of mixing chambers or recessed cups which are open to the fluidized bed reaction zone of a reaction chamber and are spaced over the face of the injector, to form a reactant gas premix having a pressure drop of at least 1% through the injector. The gaseous premix is injected in a time period which is less than its autoignition time, preferably less than 9 milliseconds, at a velocity between about 25 to 1000 feet/second, into a partial oxidation reaction zone comprising a fluid bed catalyst so that the gas mixture reacts in the catalyst bed, to reduce the amounts of CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and heat produced by the partial oxidation reaction to favor the desired stoichiometry. The formed syngas is cooled and recovered, such as use in further synthesis processing.

Face-mixing fluid bed process and apparatus for producing synthesis gas

A novel injector/reactor apparatus and an efficient process for the partial oxidation of light hydrocarbon gases, such as methane, to convert such gases to useful synthesis gas for subsequent hydrocarbon synthesis. Sources of a light hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas are preheated and pressurized and injected through an injector means at high velocity into admixture with each other in the desired proportions, preferably at comparable momentums, at a plurality of mixing nozzles which are open to the reaction zone of a reactor and are spaced over the face of the injector, to form a reactant gas premix having a pressure drop equal to at least 1% of the lowest upstream pressure of either of said gas streams. The gas premix is ejected in a time period which preferably is less than 9 milliseconds, at a velocity between about 25 to 1000 feet/second, into a reaction zone comprising a partial oxidation zone, so that the gas mixture reacts therein. The partially-oxidized effluent is then passed into a steam reforming catalyst zone to reduce the amounts of CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and heat produced by the partial oxidation reaction to form the useful syngas, which is cooled, recovered and/or further processed.

Multi-injector autothermal reforming process and apparatus for producing

A novel injector/reactor apparatus and an efficient process for the partial oxidation of light hydrocarbon gases, such as methane, to convert such gases to useful synthesis gas for recovery and/or subsequent hydrocarbon synthesis. Sources comprising a light hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas, preheated and pressurized, are injected through an injector means at high velocity into admixture with each other in the desired relative proportions, at a plurality of mixing nozzles which are open to the partial oxidation zone of a reactor and are uniformly-spaced over the face of the injector means, to form a reactant gaseous premix having a pressure at least 3% lower than the lowest upstream pressure of either of the streams of the individual gases. The gaseous premix is injected in a time period which is less than its autoignition time, preferably less than 9 milliseconds, at a velocity between about 25 to 1000 feet/second, into the partial oxidation zone of the reactor. The gas mixture reacts before or simultaneously with the autoignition time delay of the mixture, to reduce the amounts of CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and heat produced by the partial oxidation reaction to form a useful syngas which is cooled and recovered.

Distributed injection process and apparatus for producing synthesis gas

A novel injector/reactor apparatus and an efficient process for the partial oxidation of light hydrocarbon gases, such as methane, to convert such gases to useful synthesis gas for recovery and/or subsequent hydrocarbon synthesis. Sources of a light hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas are preheated and pressurized and injected through an injector means at high velocity into admixture with each other in the desired relating proportions, at a plurality of mixing nozzles which are open to the partial oxidation zone of a reactor and are uniformly-spaced over the face of the injector means, to form a gaseous premix having a pressure drop through the injector. The gaseous premix is injected in a time period which is less than 5 milliseconds, preferably at a velocity between about 25 to 1000 feet/second, into a partial oxidation reaction zone so that the gaseous premix reacts therein, to reduce the amounts of CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and heat produced by the partial oxidation reaction and form, cool and recover a useful syngas.

Rapid injection process and apparatus for producing synthesis gas (law

A novel injector/reactor apparatus and an efficient process for the partial oxidation of light hydrocarbon gases, such as methane, to convert such gases to useful synthesis gas for recovery and/or subsequent hydrocarbon synthesis. Sources of a light hydrocarbon gas, such as methane, and oxygen or an oxygen-containing gas are preheated and pressurized and injected through an injector means at high velocity into admixture with each other in the desired proportions, at a plurality of mixing nozzles which are open to the catalytic partial oxidation reaction zone of a reactor and are uniformly-spaced over the face of the injector, to form a reactant gaseous premix having a pressure drop through the injector. The gaseous premix is injected in a time period which is less than 5 milliseconds, at a velocity between about 25 to 1000 feet/second, into a reaction zone comprising a catalytic partial oxidation zone so that the gaseous premix reacts in the presence of the fixed catalyst arrangement to reduce the amounts of CO.sub.2, H.sub.2 O and heat produced by the partial oxidation reaction and form, cool and recover a useful syngas.

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Sacramento, CA, United States of America

Jack I Ito