GB827474A - Process for producing gaseous products of partial combustion of a hydrocarbon oil - Google Patents

Abstract

<PICT:0827474/III/1> Hydrocarbon oil is reacted with free oxygen and steam to produce a gaseous mixture, the oil being introduced in liquid form into a stream of steam, the resultant mixture being subjected to turbulent flow through a long tube at a velocity greater than 20 feet, and preferably greater than 30 feet, per second, to effect intimate dispersion of the oil in the steam, the dispersion being fed, at a similar velocity, with added oxygen into a reaction zone, the partial combustion producing a temperature of from 1800 DEG to 3500 DEG F. The long tube is in length, at least 100 times, and preferably at least 500 times, its inside diameter, and the oil-steam mixture is preferably preheated in at least a part of the length of the tube. As shown, a water pump 5 feeds a heated coil 6, the steam in the pipe 7 being admixed with oil from a pump 8. Turbulent flow of the mixture is produced in the tube 11 which is heated. Oxygen, air or oxygen-enriched air is added at 14 and the mixture is admitted directly into the reaction chamber 16. The hot product gases are continuously sprayed with quench water. The steam may be 20-300% of the oil by weight, and the pressure in the tube 11 may be 50-1500 pounds per square inch, the temperature being 300-1000 DEG F. The oil may be preheated to 300-700 DEG F. before mixing with the steam, and the oil may be mixed with pulverized solid fuel. A gas, e.g. natural gas, may be mixed with the steam before the injection of the oil. Heavy metal compounds, e.g. vanadium, nickel, present in petroleum, are detrimental to the refractory, generally alumina, lining of the reaction chamber. To counteract this, at least 0.5% and not more than 10% of the carbon in the oil is liberated as free carbon. Specification 827,475 is referred to.