Carbon black reactor

Abstract

The present invention discloses a reactor ( 100 ) for manufacturing carbon black, said reactor ( 100 ) comprising flow guide means ( 110 ) provided between a fuel burner ( 106 ) and an air inlet ( 108 ) for altering the flow path of combustion air entering at the air inlet ( 108 ) to result in a better mixing between the fuel and the combustion air, thereby, producing higher temperature hot combustion gases which are subsequently received in a reaction chamber ( 104 ) where they react with a carbonaceous feedstock to produce carbon black. The reactor ( 100 ) of the present invention increases the carbon black production by 5-20%. Further, the positioning of the flow guise means ( 110 ) stabilizes the flame from the fuel burner ( 106 ) to maintain it along the reactor axis, thus, increasing the life of the refractory lining ( 114 ).

1 . A reactor for manufacturing carbon black using the furnace black process, said reactor including:
 a combustion chamber for producing hot combustion gases, said combustion chamber comprising:
 a fuel burner located along the operative longitudinal axis of said reactor; 
 an air inlet located orthogonal to said fuel burner for receiving combustion air; 
 a flow guide means located along the operative longitudinal axis of said reactor positioned proximal to said fuel burner and between said fuel burner and said air inlet so as to be in the flow path of the combustion air for altering the flow path; and 
   a reaction chamber located along the operative longitudinal axis of said reactor subsequent to said combustion chamber, said reaction chamber being adapted to receive the hot combustion gases from said combustion chamber and a carbonaceous feedstock to effect carbon black formation.   
     
     
         2 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the flow guide means is a set of annular cylinders. 
     
     
         3 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the flow guide means is a set of tapering annular cylinders. 
     
     
         4 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the flow guide means is at least one selected from the group consisting of uniform annular cylinders, tapering annular cylinders, baffles, vanes, fins, and the like. 
     
     
         5 . The reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the flow guide means is a set of annular cylinders provided with at least one means selected from baffles, vanes, and fines, along the operative length of the cylinders. 
     
     
         6 . A process for manufacturing carbon black comprising the steps of:
 burning a fuel in a fuel burner located along the operative longitudinal axis of a reactor for manufacturing the carbon black;   receiving combustion air through an air inlet located orthogonal to said fuel burner;   altering the flow path of the combustion air by means of flow guide means provided along the operative longitudinal axis of said reactor between said fuel burner and said air inlet proximal to said fuel burner;   effecting advanced mixing between the combustion air and fuel in a combustion chamber to produce hot combustion gases having temperature in the range of 1000-2200° C.; and   receiving the hot combustion gases in a reaction chamber located along the operative longitudinal axis of said reactor subsequent to said combustion chamber, which is fed with a carbonaceous feedstock to manufacture the carbon black.   
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , which includes the step of manufacturing a carbon black grade selected from the group of grades consisting of hard black and soft black.