Production of controlled atmospheres and gas generator therefor

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR PRODUCING CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERES WHICH COMPRISES PASSING A GASEOUS MIXTURE OF AIR AND HYDROCARBON THROUGH A FIRST SECTION OF A PARTICULATE, REFRACTORY CONTACT MASS MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO INITIATE HYDROCARBON CRACKING AND THERE ACHIEVING BOTH AN ENDOTHERMIC CRACKING OF THE HYDROCARBON AND AN EXOTHERMIC PARTIAL COMBUSTION OF THE CRACKED MATERIAL, SAID AIR BEING PRESENT IN THE MIXTURE IN AN AMOUNT ADEQUATE TO OBTAIN A PARTIAL COMBUSTION LIBERATING HEAT SUBSTANTIALLY IN EXCESS OF THE ENDOTHERMIC HEAT REQUIREMENT OF THE CRACKING PORTION OF THE REACTION SO AS TO EFFECT A TRANSFER OF HEAT TO SAID PARTICULATE CONTACT MASS AND TO PROVIDE A GASEOUS STREAM MADE UP OF HOT REACTION PRODUCTS, AND PASSING SAID HOT GASEOUS PRODUCT STREAM IN ADMIXTURE WITH A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF AN ADDITIONAL GASEOUS MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBON AND AIR INTO AND THROUGH A SECOND, CONTIGUOUS, SUPERIMPOSED SECTION OF SAID CONTACT MASS TO ACCOMPLISH A CRACKING OF THE LATER-INTRODUCED HYDROCARBON AND A PARTIAL COMBUSTION OF THE CRACKED PRODUCT PRODUCED, WITH THE NET REACTION IN SAID SECOND SECTION OF THE CONTACT MASS BEING ENDOTHERMIC AND WITH THE CONTACT MASS AND SAID HOT GASEOUS PRODUCT STREAM FROM THE FIRST SECTION SERVING TO TRANSFER HEAT FROM THE MORE EXOTHERMIC FIRST REACTION TO THE REACTION WITH SAID SECOND SECTION.