Thermal cracking process for producing olefins from hydrocarbons

Abstract

A thermal cracking process for producing olefins from hydrocarbons which comprises the steps of burning hydrocarbons with less than the theoretical amount of oxygen in the presence of steam to give a hot gas of from 1400.degree. to 300.degree. C. comprising steam and hydrogen prior to reaction; feeding to the hot gas comprising the steam and hydrogen, a mixture of methane and hydrogen so that the methane/hydrogen molar ratio in said hot gas is over 0.05; further feeding a starting hydrocarbon to the hot gas mixture comprising the methane, hydrogen and steam; subjecting the starting hydrocarbon to thermal cracking while keeping the partial pressure of hydrogen at least 0.1 bar at the outlet of a reactor, the temperature at 800.degree. to 1200.degree. C., and the residence time at 5 to 300 milliseconds; and quenching the resulting reaction product.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.