Patent EA-003626-B1 (EA)
Title: Endothermic reaction process heater
Inventor: MIKUS THOMAS
IPC: F23M20/00
Filed: 1998-10-08
Abstract: 1. An endothermic reaction process heater comprising: an oxidation reaction chamber (1), having an inlet (2) for oxidant, an outlet (3) for combustion products, a fuel conduit (5) capable of transporting a fuel mixture to a plurality of fuel nozzles (6) within the oxidation reaction chamber (1), each nozzle (6) providing communication from within the fuel conduit (5) to an endothermic reaction process chamber (8) of the oxidation reaction chamber (1) and a preheater (7) capable of increasing the temperature of the oxidant to a temperature resulting in the combined oxidant and fuel from the fuel nozzle (6) closest to the oxidation chamber inlet (2) being greater than the autoignition temperature of the combined oxidant wherein the fuel conduit is designed to maintain the temperature of the combined oxidant flow and transferred from the oxidation section in the vicinity of each fuel nozzle (6) to decrease below the autoignition temperature of the combined mixture. 2. The endothermic reaction process heater of claim 1 further comprising a coke inhibitor injection system (9) in communication with the fuel supply conduit (5) to inhibit coke formation at fuel conduit (5) operating temperatures. 3. The endothermic reaction process heater of claim 1 wherein the fuel conduit (5) is a tubular conduit essentially centrally located within the oxidation reaction chamber (1). 4. The endothermic reaction process heater of claim 3 wherein the oxidation reaction chamber (1) is essentially centrally located within the process chamber (8). 5. The endothermic reaction process heater of claim 1 wherein the process chamber (8) is a pyrolysis reaction chamber for the production of olefins. 6. The endothermic reaction process heater of claim 1 wherein the process chamber (8) is effective as a steam methane reforming reaction chamber. 7. The endothermic reaction process heater of claim 1 wherein the process heater is a ethylbenzene dehydrogenation heater. 8. A method to provide heat to an endothermic reaction process heater, the method comprising the steps of: providing a fuel; adding to the fuel a coke inhibition component to inhibit coke formation at heater operating temperatures; transporting a fuel mixture to a plurality of fuel nozzles (6); preheating the oxidant to a temperature being greater than the autoignition temperature of the combined oxidant and fuel; providing heat exchange between an oxidation reaction chamber (1) and an endothermic reaction process chamber (8) wherein comprises the step of maintaining the temperature of the combined oxidant flow and transferred from the oxidation section in the vicinity of each fuel nozzle (6) to decrease below the autoignition temperature of the combined mixture. 9. The method of claim 8 wherein the process is a steam methane reforming process. 10. The method of claim 8 wherein the process is a pyrolysis reaction for production of olefins. 11. The method of claim 8 wherein the process is an ethylbenzene dehydrogenation process. 12. The method of claim 8 wherein the coke inhibition component is selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide and steam.