Regenerative furnace and conversion of hydrocarbons therein to acetylene and ethylene

Claim 2

IN A REGENERATIVE FURNACE COMPRISING REFRACTORY CHECKERWORKS SPACED APART SO AS TO PROVIDE A COMBUSTION SECTION THEREBEWTEEN, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES AT LEAST ONE REFRACTORY MASS POSITIONED WITHIN SAID COMBUSTION SECTION AND HAVING ITS OUTER FACES IN CONTACT WITH THE INNER FACES OF SAID REFRACTORY CHECKERWORKS; A PLURALITY OF COMBUSTION CHAMBERS FORMED WITHIN SAID REFRACTORY MASS, EACH OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBERS COMMUNICATING WITH ONE OF THE OPENINGS IN EACH OF SAID REFRACTORY CHECKERWORKS; MEANS FOR INTRODUCING FUEL LATERALLY INTO EACH SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER; AND MEANS FOR PASSING AIR AND MATERIAL TO BE CONVERTED INTO AND THROUGH SAID REFRACTORY CHECKERWORKS

Claim 3

A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES HEATING AIR IN A FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; PASSING SAID HEATED AIR INTO A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE COMBUSTION ZONES; INTRODUCING FUEL GAS LATERALLY INTO EACH OF SAID COMBUSTION ZONES, THEREBY FORMING A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE WITHIN EACH SAID ZONES; BURNING SAID COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES WITHIN SAID COMBUSTION ZONES; PASSING THE RESULTING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID COMBUSTION ZONES INTO A SECOND REFRACTORY CHEEKERWORK SO AS TO HEAT SAME TO A DESIRED TEMPERATURE; TERMINATING THE SUPPLY OF AIR AND FUEL GAS; INTRODUCING HYDROCARBON FEED INTO SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; TRANSFERRING HEAT FROM SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK TO SAID HYDROCARBON FEED SO AS TO CRACK SAID FEED; PASSING THE RESULTING REACTION PRODUCTS INTO SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; COOLING SAID REACTION PRODUCTS WITHIN SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK TO A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THERY ARE COMPARATIVELY STABLE; AND REMOVING SAID COOLED REACTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK.

Claim 4

A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES HEATING AIR IN A FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; PASSING SAID HEATED AIR INTO A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE COMBUSTION ZONES; INTRODUCING FUEL GAS LATERALLY INTO EACH OF SAID COMBUSTION ZONES, THEREBY FORMING A COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURE WITHIN EACH SAID ZONES; BURNING SAID COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES WITHIN SAID COMBUSTION ZONES; PASSING THE RESULTING COMBUSTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID COMBUSTION ZONES INTO A SECOND REFRACTORY CHEEKERWORK SO AS TO HEAT SAME TO A DESIRED TEMPERATURE; TERMINATING THE SUPPLY OF AIR AND FUEL GAS; INTRODUCING HYDROCARBON FEED INTO SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; TRANSFERRING HEAT FROM SAID SECOND REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK TO SAID HYDROCARBON FEED SO AS TO CRACK SAID FEED; PASSING THE RESULTING REACTION PRODUCTS INTO SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK; COOLING SAID REACTION PRODUCTS WITHIN SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK TO A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THERY ARE COMPARATIVELY STABLE; AND REMOVING SAID COOLED REACTION PRODUCTS FROM SAID FIRST REFRACTORY CHECKERWORK.