Production of acetylene

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ACETYLENE BY THE PARTIAL COMBUSTION OF A PRIMARY FEED HYDROCARBON SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF METHANE AND NATURAL GAS IN AN ACETYLENE CONVERTER, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES INJECTING A HIGHER HYDROCARBON HAVING FROM 2-12 CARBON ATOMS CHOSEN FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PARAFFINIC AND OLEFINIC HYDROCARBONS INTO THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OF SAID ACETYLENE CONVERTER IN THE VICINITY OF THE POINT WHERE THE ACETYLENE CONCENTRATION RESULTING FROM THE CRACKING OF PRIMARY FEED HYDROCARBON TO ACETYLENE IS A MAXIMUM, IN AN AMOUNT SUCH THAT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE RESULTING GAS MIXTURE DOES NOT FALL BELOW 1200* C. AND CRACKING SID HIGHER HYDROCARBON PRIMARILY TO ACETYLENE BY THE HEAT ENERGY SUPPLIED BY THE PARTIAL COMBUSTION OF SAID PRIMARY FEED HYDROCARBON AND REMAINING FROM THE CRACKING OF A PORTION OF SAID PRIMARY FEED HYDROCARBON TO ACETYLENE, SAID IMPROVEMENT YIELDING HIGHER ACETYLENE CONTENT IN THE REACTION GASES LEAVING SAID ACETYLENE CONVERTER.