Partial oxidation of hydrocarbons

Claim 1

PROCESS FOR PARTIALLY OXIDIZING HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES: CONTACTING AT ELEVATED OXIDATION TEMPERATURE PARTIALLY OXIDIZABLE HYDROCARBONS HAVING AN UPPER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT AND A THRESHOLD CONCENTRATION, WITH A GASEOUS OXIDIZING AGENT CONTAINING FREE OXYGEN IN AMOUNT ABOVE THE THRESHOLD CONCENTRATION, THEREBY TO PARTIALLY OXIDIZE THE HYDROCARBONS; INTRODUCING SAID HYDROCARBONS AND SAID TREATING AGENT INTO THE OXIDATION ZONE AT A RATE SUFFICIENT, UNDER THE PREVAILING OXIDATION CONDITIONS, TO PRODUCE PARTIAL OXIDATION PRODUCTS AND TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN IN THE OXIDATION ZONE A VAPOR PHASE MATERIAL HAVING OXYGEN CONTENT ABOVE THE THRESHOLD CONCENTRATION AND AN UNOXIDIZED HYDROCARBON CONTENT ABOVE THE UPPER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT; REMOVING SAID VAPOR PHASE MATERIAL FROM THE OXIDATION ZONE; ADDING TO THE REMOVED MATERIAL A NONFLAMMABLE GAS IN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO REDUCE THE OXYGEN CONTENT TO BELOW THE THRESHOLD CONCENTRATION; AND THEREAFTER CONDENSING HYDROCARBONS FROM THE VAPOR PHASE MATERIAL; SAID THRESHOLD CONCENTRATION BEING THE LOWEST CONCENTRATION OF OXYGEN, BASED ON NONHYDROCARBON MATERIALS, AT WHICH AN EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS AND SAID NONHYDROCARBON MATERIALS CAN BE FORMED.