Reactant ratio control process

Claim 2

A process for controlling at a preset value the ratio of the reactants in a continuous reaction possessing a net heat of reaction, which comprises the steps of: a. passing at least a portion of the reaction products from an initial reaction zone into a separate second reaction zone which second zone is maintained at conditions suitable for initiation of the reaction being monitored; b. measuring the temperature of said portion of said first reaction zone products; c. adding to said portion of said first reaction zone products a stream of one of the reactants; d. measuring the temperature of the resultant mixture formed by said portion of said first reaction zoNe products and the added reactant stream; and, e. regulating the flow of at least one of the reactants fed to the initial reaction zone to maintain the two measured temperatures at a predetermined temperature relationship corresponding to said preset value of the reactant ratio.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the reactants comprise an oxygen containing gas and a fuel selected from the group consisting of CO, H2, CH4, C2H6, C2H4, C3H8, C3H6, C4H10 and C5H12.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the initial reaction zone and said second reaction zone contain catalyst.

Claim 5

The process of claim 3 wherein at least the initial reaction zone is located in a reaction vessel used in the conversion of hydrocarbon material.

Claim 6

A process for adjusting the ratio of an oxygen containing gas to fuel being fed to a primary combustion zone as reactants, which process comprises the steps of: a. passing at least a portion of the flue gas from the primary combustion zone to a second combustion zone maintained at conditions suitable for the initiation of combustion; b. measuring the temperature of the flue gas entering said second combustion zone; c. adding to the flue gas in said second combustion zone a quantity of one of the reactants that is equal in temperature to the flue gas at the point of addition; d. measuring the temperature of the gas mixture formed by the additions made in step (c) as said gas mixture leaves said second combustion zone; e. comparing the temperature determined in step (d) to the temperature determined in step (b); and, f. regulating the ratio of fuel and air fed to the primary reaction zone to maintain the relationship between the compared temperatures of step (e) at a value corresponding to the desired ratio of air to fuel fed to the primary combustion zone.

Claim 7

A process for adjusting the ratio of an oxygen containing gas to fuel being fed to a primary combustion zone as reactants, which process comprises the steps of: a. passing at least a portion of the flue gas from the primary combustion zone to a second combustion zone maintained at conditions suitable for the initiation of combustion; b. measuring the temperature of the flue gas entering said second combustion zone; c. adding to the flue gas in said second combustion zone a quantity of one of the reactants that is equal in temperature to the flue gas at the point of addition; d. measuring the temperature of the gas mixture formed by the additions made in step (c) as said gas mixture leaves said second combustion zone; e. comparing the temperature determined in step (d) to the temperature determined in step (b); and, f. regulating the ratio of fuel and air fed to the primary reaction zone to maintain the relationship between the compared temperatures of step (e) at a value corresponding to the desired ratio of air to fuel fed to the primary combustion zone.

Claim 8

The process of claim 5 wherein the added reactant is the fuel.

Claim 9

The process of claim 5 wherein the added reactant is air.

Claim 10

The process of claim 5 wherein the added reactants are alternately switched so to control the total reactant ratio.