Process for making carbon black

Abstract

A process is provided for making high-quality carbon blacks at unusually good yields in a highly compact reaction space. The key steps of the process are the generation of a very hot combustion gas stream moving at very high speed in essentially plug flow by burning a hydrocarbon gas in oxygen in a compact combustion zone under conditions of very high heat release assuring the attainment of temperatures of over 3,000° F., and the transverse injection into said highspeed combustion stream from the periphery thereof of a plurality of individual streams of liquid hydrocarbon make, each of which is injected under sufficient pressure to cause same to enter said high-speed combustion stream at a linear velocity of more than about 100 fett per second. Preferably, a highly oxygen-enriched oxidant is used to burn the hydrocarbon gas.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for making high-quality carbon black at unusually good yields and high volumetric production rates comprising a. burning a hydrocarbon gas in oxygen in a compact combustion zone under high-intensity conditions so as to generate a stream of combustion gases having a temperature of over 3,000° F. and moving in essentially plug flow as it leaves the downstream end of said combustion zone at an exit velocity of at least about 2,000 feet per second,   b. injecting transversely into said exiting stream of hot combustion gases from the periphery thereof a plurality of individual .Iadd.coherent .Iaddend.streams of hydrocarbon liquid make under sufficient pressure to cause same to enter said exiting stream at a linear velocity of more than about 100 feet per second, and   c. quenching the resultant reaction mixture after carbon formation has occurred.   
     
     
       2. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the initial direction of said injected streams of hydrocarbon liquid is substantially normal to the direction of flow of said exiting stream of hot combustion gases. 
     
     
       3. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the combustion step (a) of the process is carried out under conditions to achieve substantially sonic velocity of the combustion gases as they leave the downstream end of the combustion zone. .Iadd. 4. A process for making high-quality carbon black at unusually good yields and high volumetric production rates comprising: a. establishing a turbulent, high velocity stream of combustion gases in a compact combustion zone, said stream as it exits the downstream end of said combustion zone having a temperature of over 3,000°  F. and moving in essentially plug flow at a rapid velocity capable of shearing individual streams of hydrocarbon liquid make injected thereinto as described in (b) below,   b. injecting transversely into said exiting stream of hot combustion gases from the periphery thereof a plurality of individual coherent streams of hydrocarbon liquid make under sufficient pressure to cause same to enter said exiting stream at a high linear velocity sufficient to assure rapid dispersal of said hydrocarbon liquid make at a position sufficiently remote from the hot walls of said injection zone to prevent smearing and coking of the injected reactant on said walls, and   c. quenching the resultant reaction mixture after carbon formation has occurred. .Iaddend..Iadd. 5. A process for making high-quality carbon black at unusually good yields and high volumetric production rates comprising:   a. burning a hydrocarbon with oxygen in a compact combustion zone under high-intensity conditions so as to generate a turbulent, high velocity stream of combustion gases having a temperature of over 3,000°  F., which stream, as it exits the downstream end of said combustion zone, is moving in essentially plug flow at a rapid velocity capable of shearing individual streams of hydrocarbon liquid make injected thereinto as described in (b) below, and   b. injecting transversely into said exiting stream of hot combustion gases from the periphery thereof a plurality of individual coherent streams of hydrocarbon liquid make under sufficient pressure to cause same to enter said exiting stream at a high linear velocity sufficient to ensure rapid dispersal of said hydrocarbon liquid make at a position sufficiently remote from the hot walls of said injection zone to prevent smearing and coking thereupon, and   c. quenching the resultant reaction mixture after carbon formation has occurred. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 6. The process of claim 5 wherein said hydrocarbon burned with oxygen is a hydrocarbon gas. .Iaddend..Iadd. 7. The process of claim 4 wherein the velocity of said stream of combustion gases is substantially sonic. .Iaddend.