Method and reactor for conversion of hydrocarbons

A reactor system for the conversion of hydrocarbons, the reactor system comprising:

• a reactor vessel having a reactor wall that defines a reaction chamber, the reaction chamber having a central longitudinal axis, the reactor vessel having an upstream end and a downstream end;
• a diverging conduit having an upstream end, a downstream end, and a circumferential wall expanding in width from the upstream end to the downstream end of the diverging conduit, the downstream end of the diverging conduit being in fluid communication with the reaction chamber of the reactor;
• a feed assembly having an upstream end and a downstream end the downstream end of the feed assembly being operably coupled to the upstream end of the diverging conduit, with the central longitudinal axis passing through the feed assembly, the feed assembly comprising at least two flow inlets, wherein the two flow inlets provide a flow path for at least one each for heated gas and hydrocarbons, respectively;
• wherein the flow inlets are configured to respectively receive the heated gas and hydrocarbon, and to cause the heated gas and hydrocarbon to mix together to form a swirling mixture as the heated gas and hydrocarbon flow from the feed assembly through the diverging conduit and into the reaction chamber;
• wherein the flow inlets are configured to receive the heated gas preheated before entering the flow inlets;
• wherein the reaction chamber is configured such that:
• the heat required for cracking the hydrocarbon in the reaction chamber primarily comes from the thermal energy in the heated gas, and,
• the reaction in the reaction chamber creates an exit stream comprising heated gas, hydrocarbon, and reaction products,
• wherein at least one flow inlet causes its respective feed stream to enter the reactor in a direction that is approximately parallel to the central longitudinal axis, and at least one inlet flow space causes its respective feed stream to enter the reactor in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis, with at least one feed stream having a tangential-to-radial or tangential-to-axial velocity component to form a swirling flow for mixing in the mixing feed streams.