Abstract Apparatus and process for producing oil furnace carbon black of increased particle size by the thermal decomposition of select carbon-black-forming hydrocarbon feedstocks in an enclosed reactor having a refractory lined reaction tube with primary and secondary reaction zones. The upstream end of the reactor is a housing member with air inlet and being enclosed by an end plate, including a cylindrical baffle forming a plenum chamber communicating with perforated air diffusion plate having a central aperture mounted in flush alignment with the reaction tube. An axial burner and injection assembly extends through the end plate into the reaction tube. Air is introduced into the plenum chamber, through the diffusion plate to mix with hydrocarbon fuel for combustion and contact with the axially introduced oil feedstock in a primary reaction zone. A secondary reaction zone is established downstream by introducing preheated oxygen-containing gas from at least three tunnel burners extending through ports in the reactor housing and tube, said burners having axes focused at an angle 15* to 75* greater than and intersecting the reactor axis at the same point. The additional preheated oxygen-containing gas and combustion products introduced into the secondary reaction zone further oxidize the reaction products and surface condition the resulting carbon black. The total combustion products containing the suspended carbon black are quenched and recovered from the reactor for separation of the carbon black from said products.
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein there are four focus ports spaced equidistantly about said first housing section and lining.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the focus port axes are set at an angle in the range from 30* to 60* from said reactor axis.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the axial length of the second section housing is less than the diameter of said second section housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical baffle has an inner diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of said first section refractory lining.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the air input port extends radially of the reactor axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
295 words
A process for the production of oil furnace carbon black by the thermal decomposition of a carbon-black-forming hydrocarbon feedstock which comprises: a. introducing a combustion fuel into the combustion zone of a reactoR; b. radially introducing an oxygen-containing gas into an annular space about a cylindrical baffle coaxially disposed in a carbon black reactor for passage through the interior of said baffle and a diffusion plate forming longitudinal flow; c. passing said gas into the combustion zone of said reactor forming a combustible mixture with said fuel; d. combusting said mixture in said zone and passing the combustion gases into the primary reaction zone of said reactor; e. introducing said hydrocarbon feedstock into said reaction zone into contact with said combustion gases in an unobstructed primary reaction zone; f. introducing an additional combustion fuel and an excess amount of oxygen-containing gas required for combustion of said fuel into at least three tunnel burners having axes focused at an angle in the range of 15* to 75* from the reactor axis and intersecting at substantially the same downstream point on said axis located at a point downstream of said primary reaction zone; g. combusting said mixture and introducing the heated oxidizing gas stream of combustion products and excess oxygen-containing gas by focused flow into a secondary reaction zone downstream of said primary reaction zone; h. passing the reaction products from said primary reaction zone into said secondary reaction zone into contact with said heated gas stream; i. completing the reaction of said products with said heated gas stream in the secondary reaction zone; j. passing the reaction products from said secondary reaction zone to a quench zone of said reactor for contact with a quenching medium; and k. recovering the quenched reaction products from said reactor.