Process for the production of finely-divided metal and metalloid oxides

Claim 1

In a process for the production of finely-divided particulate metal and metalloid oxides comprising mixing, within a burner means, a vaporous or gaseous metal or metalloid halide, or mixture thereof, with a hydrogen-containing water-producing fuel and an oxidant therefor; projecting the resulting reactant mixture as a continuous stream from the mouth of said burner means into a reaction space; continuously discharging a purge gas at a fouling preventive rate along the boundary of said reactant mixture stream in the region of the burner mouth and continuously combusting the reactant mixture stream within said reaction space to produce said finely-divided particulate oxide therein; the improvement which comprises: substantially tangentially contacting the periphery of said reactant mixture stream, at a plane substantially normal thereto and spaced downstream from said burner mouth, with a plurality of continuous pilot flames.