Conversion of hydrocarbons to a hydrogen-rich gas

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR THE CONVERSION OF HYDROCARBONS WHICH COMPRISES A VERTICAL REACTION CHAMBER CONTAINING A MIXING SECTION IN THE UPPER PORTION THEREOF AND A BED OF CATALYST BELOW SAID MIXING SECTION, A CYLINDRICAL SECTION OF SMALLER CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA THAN THE REACTION CHAMBER AXIALLY ALIGNED WITH THE MIXING SECTION OF SAID REACTION CHAMBER AND SUPERPOSED ON THE REACTION CHAMBER, SAID CYLINDRICAL SECTION IN OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CYLINDRICAL MIXING SECTION NOZZLE MEANS CENTERED ON THE AXIS OF SAID CYLINDRICAL SECTION DISPOSED WITHIN SAID CYLINDRICAL SECTION AND SAID MIXING SECTION TO DISCHARGE GASIFORM MATERIAL INTO SAID MIXING SECTION, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING A GASEOUS HYDROCARBON FEED MIXTURE INTO SAID CYLINDRICAL SECTION TANGENTIALLY TO THE INNER WALL THEREOF TO IMPART SWIRLING TURBULENT MOTION TO SAID FEED MIXTURE, DIFFUSING MEANS ADJACENT THE JUNCTURE OF SAID INLET SECTION AND SAID MIXING SECTION AND INCLUDING FLOW DIRECTING VANES TO PROVIDE PASSAGE OF THE GASEOUS HYDROCARBON FEED MIXTURE THERETHROUGH THEREBY INCREASING THE SWIRLING MOTION OF SAID MIXTURE ON ITS WAY TO SAID MIXING SECTION, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING AIR INTO SAID NOZZLE MEANS, AND MEANS FOR PASSING SAID AIR FROM SAID NOZZLE MEANS INTO THE MIXING SECTION IN THE FORM OF A PLURALITY OF SMALL, CONVERGENT STREAMS HAVING HIGH VELOCITY RELATIVE TO THE VELOCITY OF THE HYDROCARBON FEED MIXTURE WHEREBY UNIFORMED AND RAPID MIXING TAKES PLACE BEFORE THE GASES ENTER THE CATALYST BED.