Patent ID: 8748686

Claim:
A process for producing acetylene by pyrolysis from a feed stream of hydrocarbons comprised of coal particles having a median particle size of less than about 100 microns in diameter and a hydrocarbon co-feed material, said feed stream containing less than about 12 wt % atomic hydrogen, the process comprising: (a) blending the hydrocarbons containing less than about 12 wt % atomic hydrogen with methane to provide a blended mixture containing at least about 12.5 wt % atomic hydrogen; (b) partially combusting the blended mixture in a reactor in the presence of a source of oxygen, the oxygen being provided in an amount no greater than about 50 wt % of the stoichiometric amount required to fully combust all of the blended mixture to provide a partially combusted mixture at or above a temperature sufficient to produce methyl radicals; (c) maintaining the partially combusted mixture in the substantial absence of molecular oxygen at or above 2000° C. for a residence time of no greater than about 50 milliseconds to convert the mixture to a product stream containing enhanced yields of acetylene without significant formation of coke and/or coke precursors; (d) cooling the product stream to 500° C. or less within no greater than 100 milliseconds to substantially arrest any cracking reactions and provide a cooled product stream; and (e) recovering acetylene from the cooled product stream.