Automatic control for process for thermally gasifying hydrocarbons with oxygen and water vapor

Claim 1

In a process for thermally gasifying hydrocarbons with oxygen and steam under pressure in the range of 3-100 kilograms per square centimeter and at temperatures in the range of about 1000-1500°C wherein the gasification reaction is carried out in a reactor having temperature measuring means, valved conduits for the supply of hydrocarbons, oxygen, steam and an inert purging gas, and valved blow-off conduits for venting oxygen and steam, the hydrocarbon supply conduit connecting a nozzle in the reactor and a hydrocarbon supply tank and having a feed pump and a valved recycle conduit for returning hydrocarbon to the supply tank from the hydrocarbon supply conduit, and the product gas from the gasification reactor is cooled and scrubbed, the improvement which comprises carrying out the following sequence of steps during start-up of the gasification reactor via an electric circuit as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4: i. receiving at a first electronic gate device (80) signals (S2) and (S4) indicating that the hydrocarbon feed pump (26) is energized and the blow-off conduit (36) is open; ii. sending a signal via switch (81) to said first gate device (80) whereupon said first gate device emits a signal (S5) causing the hydrocarbon recycle conduit (30) to open via valve (4) and the hydrocarbon supply conduit (21) to close via valve (5) thereby causing hydrocarbons normally fed to the reactor to be recycled; iii. the closing of the hydrocarbon supply conduit (21) emitting a signal (S61) causing at least the opening of the oxygen supply conduit (31) via valve (1); iv. receiving signals (S8), (S9), (S13) and (S14) at a second gate device (82) from the supply conduits for hydrocarbons (21), oxygen (31) and steam (33) whereupon a signal (S17) is given to initiate a second signal via switch (86) which causes the purge gas supply conduit (37) to open via valve (9), the hydrocarbon supply conduit (21) to open via valve (5) and the oxygen and steam supply conduit (22) to open via valve (8); and v. the opening of the oxygen and steam supply conduit (22) emitting signal (S25) causing the purge gas conduit (37) to close via valve (9) and the blow-off conduit (36) to close via valve (6).