Abstract A continuous reaction is effected in a gas stream by an electric discharge at a point in the stream where the flow has been made supersonic and the pressure and temperature lowered by a substantially adiabatic expansion. Various forms of apparatus for carrying out such a process are described. The apparatus may be used for the production of ozone which is used to convert ethylene and tetramethyl-ethylene fed into the apparatus into the corresponding ozonides. On leaving the apparatus the ozonides are converted in the presence of water into formaldehyde and acetone respectively.ALSO:A continuous reaction is effected in a gas stream by an electric discharge at a point in the stream where the flow has been made supersonic and the pressure and temperature lowered by a substantially adiabatic expansion. One form of apparatus, Fig. 1, comprises a supersonic nozzle 1, a pressure reducing chamber 17 for starting the action of the nozzle and a recompression chamber 13. Gas from an inlet pipe 6 passes along a cylindrical chamber 5 to a convergent part 2 of the nozzle 1 and then expands in a divergent part 4. A hollow electrode 8 supported by insulators 9 and 10 in the chamber 5 produces a discharge at the outlet 7 of the nozzle 1. The recompression chamber 13 comprises a convergent part 14, a cylindrical part 15 and a divergent part 16. This apparatus may be used for the production of acetylene and hydrogen from methane gas, or for the cracking of other hydrocarbons. An alternative form of apparatus is described in which the electrode 8 is extended to the part 16 of the chamber 13 and is closed at the end, but is provided with side vents for the injection of methane into the part 15 of the chamber 13. Two discharges are set up, the first at the end of the nozzle 1 for producing ozone, and the second in the chamber 13 for partially oxidizing the methane. <PICT:0987902/C4-C5/1>
A METHOD FOR REDUCTION OF METAL OXIDES WHICH COMPRISES PROVIDING AND MAINTING A MOLTEN METALLIC BATH, PROVIDING A MOLTEN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SLAG LAYER SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY COVERING SAID BATH, SAID SLAG LAYER CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE METAL OXIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF IRON OXIDE, MANGANESE OXIDE, CHROMIUM OXIDE AND MIXTURES THEREOF ESTABLISHING AN ELECTRIC ARC BETWEEN THE NON-CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE AND SAID BATH, PASSING AN ARC GAS TAKEN FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBON GASES, ARGON, HELIUM, NITROGEN, HYDROGEN, CARBON MONOXIDE AND MIXTURES THEREOF THROUGH A NOZZLE HAVING AT LEAST A CENTRAL ORIFICE THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF WHICH IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ARC, AND INTRODUCING A HYDROCARBON GAS INTO THE ARC COMLUMN TO THEREBY BECOME AT LEAST A PART OF THE ARC PLASMA, WITH THE PROVISO THAT IF THE ARC GAS BE A HYDROCARBON GAS THE INTRODUCTION OF A HYDROCARBON GAS INTO THE ARC COLUMN MAY BE ELIMINATED, TRANSPORTING THE HYDROCARBON REACTION PRODUCTS IN A HIGHLY REACTIVE STATE IN THE ARC PLASMA, IMPINGING THE ARC PLASMA ONTO THE SURFACE OF SAID SLAG LAYER WHERE REDUCTION PRODUCTS ARE FORMED WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETE SLAG LAYER COVERING SAID BATH, AND THEN COLLECTING THE REDUCED METAL VALUES IN THE MOLTEN METALLIC BATH.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
201 words
A METHOD FOR REDUCTION OF METAL OXIDES WHICH COMPRISES PROVIDING AND MAINTING A MOLTEN METALLIC BATH, PROVIDING A MOLTEN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SLAG LAYER SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY COVERING SAID BATH, SAID SLAG LAYER CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE METAL OXIDE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF IRON OXIDE, MANGANESE OXIDE, CHROMIUM OXIDE AND MIXTURES THEREOF ESTABLISHING AN ELECTRIC ARC BETWEEN THE NON-CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE AND SAID BATH, PASSING AN ARC GAS TAKEN FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBON GASES, ARGON, HELIUM, NITROGEN, HYDROGEN, CARBON MONOXIDE AND MIXTURES THEREOF THROUGH A NOZZLE HAVING AT LEAST A CENTRAL ORIFICE THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF WHICH IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ARC, AND INTRODUCING A HYDROCARBON GAS INTO THE ARC COMLUMN TO THEREBY BECOME AT LEAST A PART OF THE ARC PLASMA, WITH THE PROVISO THAT IF THE ARC GAS BE A HYDROCARBON GAS THE INTRODUCTION OF A HYDROCARBON GAS INTO THE ARC COLUMN MAY BE ELIMINATED, TRANSPORTING THE HYDROCARBON REACTION PRODUCTS IN A HIGHLY REACTIVE STATE IN THE ARC PLASMA, IMPINGING THE ARC PLASMA ONTO THE SURFACE OF SAID SLAG LAYER WHERE REDUCTION PRODUCTS ARE FORMED WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETE SLAG LAYER COVERING SAID BATH, AND THEN COLLECTING THE REDUCED METAL VALUES IN THE MOLTEN METALLIC BATH.