Hydrocarbon/oxygen industrial gas mixer with water mist

Abstract

A hydrocarbon-containing gas is mixed with an oxygen-containing gas in a gas mixer in the presence of a water mist. The water mist surrounds and contacts entrained particles in either the oxygen-containing gas stream or the hydrocarbon-containing gas stream. The water acts to suppress and prevent ignition of the hydrocarbon gas in the mixer by serving as a sink for heat created by energetic collisions between such particles and structures within the gas mixer. The water mist also acts to quench ignition caused by such collisions. The water mist can be introduced into the gas mixer in a number of different configurations, including via nozzles injecting a mist into a hydrocarbon gas manifold or an oxygen gas manifold, nozzles placed within the gas mixer adjacent to ends of the oxygen supply pipes, and nozzles placed coaxially within the oxygen supply pipes in the gas mixer.

We claim: 
     
         1 . In an industrial production system for gas-phase partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon-containing gas, a method for mixing the hydrocarbon-containing gas with an oxygen-containing gas, comprising the steps of:
 providing a gas mixer for mixing the oxygen-containing gas with the hydrocarbon-containing gas;   introducing a water mist into the gas mixer; and   mixing the oxygen-containing gas and the hydrocarbon-containing gas in the presence of the water mist;   wherein the oxygen-containing gas is introduced into the gas mixer through a plurality of oxygen pipes placed within the gas mixer, and wherein the water mist is further introduced into the gas mixer by means of a plurality of water mist pipes having a proximal end connected to a source of water and peripheral end having a nozzle, wherein each of the plurality of oxygen pipes has a water mist pipe concentrically located therein.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the oxygen-containing gas is introduced into the gas mixer through a plurality of oxygen pipes placed within the gas mixer, and wherein the water mist is further introduced into the gas mixer by means of a plurality of water mist pipes having a proximal end connected to a source of water and peripheral end having a nozzle, wherein the water mist pipes are positioned within the gas mixer adjacent to the oxygen pipes. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the gas mixer includes an oxygen gas manifold receiving a stream of oxygen-containing gas, and wherein the introducing step comprises the step of supplying the water mist to the oxygen gas manifold. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the oxygen manifold is connected to a mixing chamber by means of a plurality of oxygen pipes, the pipes conducting oxygen-containing gas and the mist to the mixing chamber where the hydrocarbon-containing gas is introduced into the mixing chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 conducting the oxygen-containing gas into a mixing chamber of the gas mixer in a plurality of oxygen pipes, and   wherein the introducing step comprises the steps of (1) providing a plurality of water mist pipes having a proximal end connected to a source of water and peripheral end having a nozzle, (2) positioning a water mist pipe concentrically within each of the oxygen pipes, and (3) directing water through the water mist pipes and producing the water mist with the nozzles.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the oxygen pipes have a distal open end through which oxygen-containing gas flows out of the oxygen pipes, and wherein the nozzles are located within the oxygen pipes at a location adjacent to the distal end of the oxygen pipes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises the step of conducting the oxygen-containing gas into a mixing chamber of the gas mixer in a plurality of oxygen pipes, and
 wherein the water mist is introduced into the gas mixer by means of a plurality of water mist pipes having a proximal end connected to a source of water and peripheral end having a nozzle, wherein the water mist pipes are positioned within the mixing chamber adjacent to the oxygen pipes.   
     
     
         8 . In a gas mixer for an industrial production system for gas-phase partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon-containing gas, the improvement comprising:
 providing a means for producing a water mist in the gas mixer wherein the oxygen-containing gas and the hydrocarbon-containing gas are mixed in the gas mixer in the presence of the water mist;   wherein the gas mixer further comprises:   a plurality of oxygen pipes located within the gas mixer, the oxygen-containing gas introduced into the gas mixer through the plurality of oxygen pipes.   
     
     
         9 . The improvement of  claim 8 , wherein the means for producing a water mist comprises a plurality of water mist pipes having a proximal end connected to a source of water and peripheral end having a nozzle, wherein each of the plurality of oxygen pipes has a water mist pipe concentrically located therein. 
     
     
         10 . The improvement of  claim 8 , wherein the means for producing a water mist comprises a plurality of water mist pipes having a proximal end connected to a source of water and peripheral end having a nozzle, wherein the water mist pipes are positioned within the gas mixer adjacent to the oxygen pipes. 
     
     
         11 . The improvement of  claim 8 , further comprising a processing station recovering water from the mixed hydrocarbon and oxygen gases. 
     
     
         12 . The improvement of  claim 8 , wherein the gas mixer further comprises an oxygen gas manifold receiving a stream of oxygen-containing gas, and wherein the means for producing a water mist comprises water mist producing devices producing the water mist and supplying the water mist into the oxygen gas manifold. 
     
     
         13 . The improvement of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of oxygen pipes, the oxygen pipes connecting the oxygen manifold to a mixing chamber, the pipes conducting oxygen-containing gas and the mist from the oxygen manifold to the mixing chamber. 
     
     
         14 . In a gas mixer for an industrial production system for gas-phase partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon-containing gas, the improvement comprising:
 providing a means for producing a water mist in the gas mixer wherein the oxygen-containing gas and the hydrocarbon-containing gas are mixed in the gas mixer in the presence of the water mist;   wherein the gas mixer further comprises:   a mixing chamber; and   a plurality of oxygen pipes conducting oxygen-containing gas into the mixing chamber of the gas mixer.   
     
     
         15 . The improvement of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the means for producing a water mist comprises a plurality of water mist pipes having a proximal end connected to a source of water and peripheral end having a nozzle;   wherein a water mist pipe is located coaxially within each of the oxygen pipes; and   wherein water is directing through the water mist pipes and the water mist is produced by the nozzles.   
     
     
         16 . The improvement of  claim 14 , wherein the oxygen pipes have a distal open end through which oxygen-containing gas flows out of the oxygen pipes, and wherein the nozzles are located within the oxygen pipes at a location which is adjacent to the distal end of the oxygen pipes. 
     
     
         17 . The improvement of  claim 14 , wherein the means for producing a water mist comprises a plurality of water mist pipes having a proximal end connected to a source of water and peripheral end having a nozzle; and
 wherein the water mist pipes are positioned within the mixing chamber adjacent to the oxygen pipes.