Methane conversion apparatus and process using a supersonic flow reactor

A process for producing acetylene from a feed stream comprising methane comprising:

• introducing the feed stream to a supersonic reactor wherein the supersonic reactor comprises:
• a reactor shell of the supersonic reactor for defining a reactor chamber wherein the reaction chamber operates at a temperature from about 1200° C. to about 4000° C.;
• a combustion zone of the supersonic reactor for combusting a fuel source to provide a high temperature carrier gas passing through the reactor space at supersonic speeds to heat and accelerate the methane feed stream to a pyrolysis temperature;
• the reactor shell comprising an inner shell and an outer shell with one or more channels between the inner shell and the outer shell where the inner shell is constructed of a material having a thermal conductivity of between about 300 and about 450 W/m-K for conducting heat from the reactor chamber and having a melting temperature of between about 500° C. and about 2000° C.;
• the material being at least copper chrome, or copper chrome zinc, or copper chrome niobium, or copper zirconium or copper silver zirconium;
• or mixtures thereof;
• and
• a coating comprising a coating comprising nickel metal, an alloy of nickel, chromium metal, an alloy of chromium, platinum metal, an alloy of platinum, palladium, or an alloy of palladium, or mixtures thereof applied to an inner surface of the inner layer of the reactor shell;
• combusting a fuel source to provide a high temperature carrier gas passing through the reactor at supersonic speeds to heat and accelerate the methane feed stream to a pyrolysis temperature, wherein upon heating and accelerating the methane stream, acetylene is generated;
• and
• preventing formation of acetylides in the reactor by employing the coating that prevents the acetylene from contacting the copper of the inner layer of the reactor.