US 4,056,704 A · Process and apparatus for heating gases

Abstract

The volumes of hot gas required for use in certain large scale chemical processes may be heated to e.g. above 2500.degree. C by means of a distributed electrical discharge in an apparatus in which the supply of gas to a heating zone is through a plurality of adjacently positioned conduits arranged to constrain the gas at its point of entry thereto into a plurality of parallel streams and in which a plurality of electrodes are positioned respectively in the plurality of gas streams. If the dimensions of the conduit and of the electrodes are suitably controlled relative to the quantity of gas the distributed discharge may be maintained in the absence of seed or of a flame thus avoiding a source of contamination of the heated gas.

Claims22

Dependent claims

Apparatus for heating gas comprising means defining a heating zone;

gas supply means for applying gas to said heating zone to be heated therein;
gas removal means for removing heated gas from said heating zone;
upstream and downstream electrode means adapted to establish a distributed electrical discharge in said heating zone;
and means for establishing a difference in electrical potential between said upstream and downstream electrical means, said gas supply means comprising a plurality of adjacently positioned conduits arranged to constrain the gas supplied to said heating zone at its point of entry thereto into a plurality of substantially parallel streams;
and the upstream electrode means comprising a plurality of electrode members positioned respectively in said plurality of gas streams.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Process and apparatus for heating gases

Life of this patent

Process and apparatus for heating gases

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22