Hydrocarbon conversion

A reverse-flow reactor, comprising:

• (a) a first channeled member having open frontal area (OFA)≤55%, the first channeled member comprising at least one refractory and having opposed first and second apertures and at least one internal channel, wherein
• (i) the second aperture is separated from the first aperture by a first flow-path through the channel,
• (ii) the refractory includes one or more of a first ceramic comprising at least one compound represented by the formula Mn+1AXn, a second ceramic comprising at least one compound represented by the formula NiBj, and a third ceramic comprising at least one compound represented by the formula PkQm, and
• (iii) M is at least one element selected from Groups 3-6 of the Periodic Table, A is at least one element selected from Groups 13-15 of the Periodic Table;
• X is carbon and/or nitrogen;
• N is at least one element selected from Groups 4 and 5 of the Periodic Table;
• B is boron;
• P is at least one element selected from Groups 4-10 of the Periodic Table;
• Q is silicon and/or aluminum;
• n is 1, 2, or 3;
• i and k are each a positive integer;
• j is i+1 or i+2;
• and m is a positive integer that can be greater than k, less than k, or equal to k;
• (b) a second channeled member comprising at least one refractory and having opposed first and second apertures and at least one internal channel, the first and second apertures being separated by a second flow-path through the channel,
• (c) a reactor vessel having opposed first and second openings and an internal volume, wherein (i) the internal volume includes the first and second channeled members;
• (ii) the first opening is adjacent to the first aperture of the first channeled member and the second opening is adjacent to the second aperture of the second channeled member, and (iii) the first and second openings are in fluidic communication through the first and second flow-paths;
• (d) at least one feed conduit in fluidic communication with the first opening, at least one reaction product conduit in communication with the second opening, at least one fuel conduit in fluidic communication with the second opening, at least one oxidant conduit in fluidic communication with the second opening, and at least one combustion product conduit in fluidic communication with the first opening;
• (e) at least one flow controller for
• (i) during time interval tR establishing a flow of feed from the feed conduit into the first opening and a flow of a reaction product from the second opening into the reaction product conduit, and
• (ii) during a time interval tH establishing a flow of fuel from the fuel conduit into the second opening, establishing a flow of oxidant from the oxidant conduit into the second opening, and establishing a flow of combustion product from the first opening into the combustion product conduit.