Patent ID: 8313640

Claim:
A method for reducing coke fouling of a burner tip when combusting a waste gas stream, said burner tip comprising a body having an inlet end and an outlet end, an internal channel within said body connecting said inlet and outlet ends and exposing an interior surface of said body to said internal channel, said waste gas stream being passed through said internal channel from said inlet end and combusted at said outlet end, said method comprising providing at least one waste gas stream containing a substantial amount of a mixture of methane, oxygen, and insitu molecular hydrogen and a minor amount of at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon that forms coke at the temperature of combustion of said waste gas stream, at least one of coating said interior surface and impregnating said body with an effective catalytic amount of at least one of a hydrogenation catalyst that promotes the hydrogen saturation of said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon and a combustion catalyst that promotes the combustion of said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon and carbonaceous residue, and combusting said waste gas stream using said catalyst carrying burner tip, wherein said interior surface of said body is coated with said hydrogenation catalyst so that said coating is in physical contact with said waste gas stream passing through said interior channel.