Superadiabatic combustion generation of reducing atmosphere for metal heat treatment

Abstract

A system useful for superadiabatic combustion generation of a reducing atmosphere for metal heat treatment includes a superadiabatic reactor which supplies a reducing atmosphere to a metal heat treatment apparatus.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process of heat treating metal, comprising the steps of: 
 superadiabatically reacting a hydrocarbon with oxygen to produce hydrogen; and    exposing said metal to said hydrogen.    
     
     
         2 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said reacting step further comprises reacting in a porous solid medium.  
     
     
         3 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising preheating said porous medium with a heater element prior to said reacting step.  
     
     
         4 . A process in accordance with  claim 3 , further comprising terminating said preheating step at the earliest at the commencement of said reacting step.  
     
     
         5 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising the steps: 
 providing a reactor including a porous solid medium having a first end and a second end, a first port at said first end and a second port at said second end, a first two-way valve in fluid communication with said first port and a second two-way valve in fluid communication with said second port, a feed flow path having an inlet, a first branch, and a second branch, a product flow path having an outlet, a first branch, and a second branch, said feed flow path first branch fluidly communicating said feed inlet with said first two-way valve, said feed flow path second branch fluidly communicating said feed inlet with said second two-way valve, said product flow path first branch fluidly communicating said product outlet with said first two-way valve, and said product flow path second branch fluidly communicating said product outlet with said second two-way valve; and    flowing said hydrocarbon through said feed flow path into said porous medium.    
     
     
         6 . A process in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein said flowing step further comprises flowing said hydrocarbon serially through said feed flow path first branch, said first two-way valve, said first port, said porous solid medium, said second port, said second two-way valve, said product flow path second branch, and said product outlet.  
     
     
         7 . A process in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein said flowing step further comprises actuating said first and second two-way valves when a flame front in said porous solid medium is adjacent said first port so that said flowing step comprises flowing said hydrocarbon serially through said feed flow path second branch, said second two-way valve, said second port, said porous solid medium, said first port, said first two-way valve, said product flow path first branch, and said product outlet.  
     
     
         8 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising the steps: 
 providing a reactor including a porous solid medium having a first end and a closed second end, a port at said first end, and a feed tube extending into said porous solid medium through said first end;    flowing said hydrocarbon through said feed tube into said porous solid medium; and    flowing said hydrogen out of said porous solid medium and around said feed tube.    
     
     
         9 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said reacting step comprises reacting a ratio of hydrocarbon to oxygen in a ratio of hydrocarbon to oxygen greater than a stoichiometric ratio.  
     
     
         10 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of methane, hexane, propane, butane, and methanol.  
     
     
         11 . A process in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein said reacting step comprises reacting said hydrocarbon in the absence of a catalyst.  
     
     
         12 . A system useful for heat treating metal with a reducing atmosphere, comprising: 
 a superadiabatic reactor having a product gas outlet; and    a metal heat treatment apparatus having an inlet in fluid communication with said reactor gas outlet.    
     
     
         13 . A system in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said superadiabatic reactor comprises a porous solid medium.  
     
     
         14 . A system in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said porous solid medium includes a first end and a second end, a first port at said first end and a second port at said second end, a first two-way valve in fluid communication with said first port and a second two-way valve in fluid communication with said second port, a feed flow path having an inlet, a first branch, and a second branch, a product flow path having an outlet, a first branch, and a second branch, said feed flow path first branch fluidly communicating said feed inlet with said first two-way valve, said feed flow path second branch fluidly communicating said feed inlet with said second two-way valve, said product flow path first branch fluidly communicating said product outlet with said first two-way valve, and said product flow path second branch fluidly communicating said product outlet with said second two-way valve.  
     
     
         15 . A system in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein said porous solid medium includes a first end and a closed second end, a port at said first end, and a feed tube extending into said porous solid medium through said first end.  
     
     
         16 . A system in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein said superadiabatic reactor comprises a heater.