Method and apparatus for pyrolyzing polymers

Claim 2

IN A PROCESS FOR THE PYROLYSIS OF A HIGH MOLECULAR WEIGHT, NORMALLY SOLID POLYMER OF AN OLEFIN TO PRODUCE A LOWER MOLECULAR WEIGHT NORMALLY SOLID PYROLYZED POLYMER, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES PASSING SAID POLYMER THROUGH A PYROLYSIS ZONE IN THE FORM OF A FLUID STREAM HAVING ANNULAR CROSS SECTION, AND TRANSFERRING HEAT OF PYROLYSIS TO SAID POLYMER THROUGH BOTH THE EXTERIOR AND THE INTERIOR BOUNDARIES OF THE ANNULAR STREAM.

Claim 3

A IMPROVED PYROLYSIS REACTOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A TUBULAR REACTION CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET; A CORE POSITIONED WITHIN SAID TUBULAR CHAMBER AND SPACED FROM THE WALLS THEREOF TO FORM AN ANNULAR PASSAGEWAY THROUGH SAID REACTION CHAMBER; MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING HEAT THROUGH THE OUTER WALL OF SAID REACTION CHAMBER INTO SAID PASSAGEWAY; MEANS FOR SUPPLYING HEAT THROUGH SAID CORE INTO SAID PASSAGEWAY; SAID TUBULAR REACTION CHAMBER AND SAID CORE TERMINATING IN A BEVELED FACE AT THE END OF THE REACTOR OPPOSITE SAID INLET; AND A CONSTRICTED OUTLET PASSAGE IN SAID BEVELED FACE ADJACENT THE MAJOR LONGITUDINAL DIMENSION OF SAID REACTION CHAMBER.

Claim 4

A IMPROVED PYROLYSIS REACTOR COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A TUBULAR REACTION CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET; A CORE POSITIONED WITHIN SAID TUBULAR CHAMBER AND SPACED FROM THE WALLS THEREOF TO FORM AN ANNULAR PASSAGEWAY THROUGH SAID REACTION CHAMBER; MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING HEAT THROUGH THE OUTER WALL OF SAID REACTION CHAMBER INTO SAID PASSAGEWAY; MEANS FOR SUPPLYING HEAT THROUGH SAID CORE INTO SAID PASSAGEWAY; SAID TUBULAR REACTION CHAMBER AND SAID CORE TERMINATING IN A BEVELED FACE AT THE END OF THE REACTOR OPPOSITE SAID INLET; AND A CONSTRICTED OUTLET PASSAGE IN SAID BEVELED FACE ADJACENT THE MAJOR LONGITUDINAL DIMENSION OF SAID REACTION CHAMBER.