Non-catalytic vapor phase oxidation of ethane

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ETHYLENE OXIDE FROM ETHANE WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF FEEDING A MIXTURE OF ETHANE AND LARGE QUANTITIES OF RECYCLE GAS INTO A CATALYST-FREE REACTION ZONE HEATED TO A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 400* C. AND 700* C., FEEDING WITH SAID MIXTURE A QUANTITY OF OXYGEN SUCH THAT SAID MIXTURE CONTAINS LESS OXYGEN THAN ETHANE, AND MIXTURE HAVING A VOLUME RATIO OF C2 HYDROCARBONS TO OXYGEN OF ABOVE 10 MAINTAINING SAID GASEOUS MIXTURE AT A PRESSURE SLIGHTLY IN EXCESS OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, SAID GASEOUS MIXTURE BEING PASSED THROUGH SAID HEATED REACTION ZONE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME FROM ABOUT A FRACTION OF A SECOND TO TWENTY SECONDS, SAID TIME BEING SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT CONSUMPTION OF ONLY 35% TO 75% OF THE OXYGEN FED TO THE REACTOR, REMOVING HYDROGEN PEROXIDE FROM THE EXIT GAS, SEPARATING THE OXYGENATED HYDROCARBONS FROM THE EXIT GAS, AND RECYCLING UNOXYGENATED HYDROCARBONS AND UNCONSUMED OXYGEN TO THE REACTOR.