Production of gases having high calorific value from liquid hydrocarbons

1,139,635. Making fuel gas. BADISCHE ANILIN- & SODA-FABRIK A.G. 27 May, 1966 [29 May, 1965], No. 23887/66. Heading C5E. Fuel gas rich in the lower paraffins is made by adding to a liquid hydrocarbon from 0À5 to 5 times its weight of water, and reacting the mixture at temperatures of from 400‹ to 800‹ C. and a pressure of 300 to 900 atmospheres. Feedstocks include light naphtha, crude petroleum, petroleum distillates and residues, liquefied gaseous hydrocarbons, and in a specific example, ethylbenzene. Carbon black and various specified polynuclear hydrocarbons may be formed, and aromatics may be withdrawn from the reaction vessel and used for heating the vessel. The process may be batch or continuous. Three specific examples are described.