Abstract:
Methods and reactors are provided for producing acetylene. The method includes combusting a fuel with oxygen in a combustor to produce a carrier gas, and accelerating the carrier gas to a supersonic speed in a converging/diverging nozzle prior to the carrier gas entering a reaction zone. A nozzle exit temperature of the carrier gas is controlled from about 1,200 degrees centigrade (° C.) to about 2,500° C. by adding a heat sink gas to the carrier gas before the reaction zone, where the heat sink gas is different than the fuel and the oxygen. Methane is added to the carrier gas in the reaction zone, and a shock wave is produced in the reaction zone by adjusting a back pressure such that the methane reacts to form acetylene.
Abstract:
A process for a liquid phase selective hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene in a reaction zone. In order to decrease the selectivity to C4+ hydrocarbons, the concentration of acetylene in solvent is lowered by recycling solvent, using a split feed injection, or both. The streams can be split in to equal or unequal portions. A hot separator may be used to separate solvent from the reactor effluent, and the solvent may be recovered and used to decrease the concentration of acetylene in the solvent.