Reverse flow reactors having high purge efficiencies while containing asymmetric feeds, methods of using same, and pyrolysis products made from same

A method of transforming a hydrocarbon feed into a pyrolysed product in a reverse flow reactor (RFR) apparatus exhibiting an asymmetric heating feed profile and a low maldistribution parameter, the method comprising:

• providing an RFR apparatus comprising an RFR body, a reaction zone located within the RFR body, an oxygen-containing feed, a combustion fuel feed, a purge feed, and a pyrolysis feed which comprises hydrocarbon, at least 60 mol % of which comprise C2+ hydrocarbon compounds, wherein (i) the reaction zone has a central vertical axis and is flanked by first and second void spaces, and (ii) the reaction zone includes at least one bed having the form of a monolith having a plurality of discrete passages extending axially therethrough;
• operating the RFR apparatus to cycle between an exothermic heating mode, a purge mode, and an endothermic pyrolysis mode so as to attain substantially hydrocarbon pyrolysis products;
• in the heating mode, heating the reaction zone to a temperature of at least 700° C. by reacting the combustion fuel feed with the oxygen-containing feed while maintaining a pressure drop across the reaction zone of about 15 psig or less;
• in the purge mode, conducting less than 6 bed volumes of the purge feed through the reaction zone to purge oxygen from the reaction zone, wherein purge mode conditions include a pressure drop across the reaction zone of about 5 psig or less and achieving a residual oxygen level at an outlet of the RFR body of at most 20 ppm;
• and
• in the pyrolysis mode, exposing the hydrocarbons in the pyrolysis feed to a temperature and flow conditions and for a time sufficient to pyrolyse the hydrocarbons to form the pyrolysis products, while maintaining a pressure drop across the reaction zone of 10 psig or less,
• wherein the heating mode is operated under conditions such that the maldistribution parameter is at 5% or less, and wherein the pyrolysis mode is operated under conditions such that the maldistribution parameter is at 15% or less.