Patent ID: 7108730

Claim:
A method for providing controlled heat to an endothermic chemical process comprising: providing an oxidation chamber, said oxidation chamber having an inlet for an oxidant, an outlet for combustion products, and a flowpath between said inlet and said outlet; transporting fuel in a fuel conduit containing a plurality of fuel nozzles distributed along substantially the entire length of said oxidation chamber, each fuel nozzle providing communication from within said fuel conduit to said oxidation chamber, said fuel nozzles being spaced so that no flame results when said fuel is mixed with said oxidant flowing through said flowpath in said oxidation chamber thereby producing flameless, distributed combustion throughout said oxidation chamber; preheating said oxidant to a temperature at which when said oxidant and said fuel are mixed in said oxidation chamber, the temperature of said mixture of oxidant and fuel exceeds the autoignition temperature of said mixture; providing a process chamber enclosed by a solid wall, and having an inlet for a process stream and an outlet for process effluent; flowing a process stream through said inlet into said process chamber; conducting an endothermic chemical process in said process chamber which is in a heat exchange relationship with said oxidation chamber, whereby a controlled heat flux is provided to said process chamber at a rate of heat flux sufficient to complete the endothermic chemical process being conducted therein; and recovering a process effluent from said process chamber through said outlet.