Method for reducing coke fouling in a burner tip

1. A method for reducing coke fouling of a burner tip when combusting a waste gas stream, said burner tip comprising a body having an inlet end and an outlet end, an internal channel within said body connecting said inlet and outlet ends and exposing an interior surface of said body to said internal channel, said waste gas stream being passed through said internal channel from said inlet end and combusted at said outlet end, said method comprising providing at least one waste gas stream containing a substantial amount of a mixture of methane, oxygen, and insitu molecular hydrogen and a minor amount of at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon that forms coke at the temperature of combustion of said waste gas stream, at least one of coating said interior surface and impregnating said body with an effective catalytic amount of at least one of a hydrogenation catalyst that promotes the hydrogen saturation of said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon and a combustion catalyst that promotes the combustion of said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon and carbonaceous residue, and combusting said waste gas stream using said catalyst carrying burner tip, wherein said interior surface of said body is coated with said hydrogenation catalyst so that said coating is in physical contact with said waste gas stream passing through said interior channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said body is composed of stainless steel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a part of said combustion promoting catalyst is employed at said outlet end of said burner tip.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture of methane and in-situ molecular hydrogen comprises at least 50 volume percent of said waste gas stream, and said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon comprises less than 50 volume percent of said waste gas stream.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said mixture of methane and in-situ molecular hydrogen contains at least about 50 volume percent methane and less than 50 volume percent molecular hydrogen.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon is at least one material selected from the group consisting of mono-olefin, di-olefin, and aromatic hydrocarbons having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms per molecule.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said hydrogenation catalyst contains an effective hydrogenation catalytic amount of at least one metal selected from Group VIB and Group VIII of the Periodic Table.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said hydrogenation catalyst metal is supported on at least one of alumina, silica, titania, zirconia, lanthana, and magnesia.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said hydrogenation catalyst is at least one material selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, zinc, silver, gold, cobalt, nickel, palladium, and platinum, and said combustion catalyst is at least one material selected from the group consisting of copper, ceria, yttria, and neodymium oxide.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein a set a channels is carried within said body adjacent said inlet end, said channels carrying at least one of said hydrogenation catalyst and combustion catalyst.

11. A method for reducing coke fouling of a burner tip when combusting a waste gas stream, said burner tip comprising a body having an inlet end and an outlet end, an internal channel within said body connecting said inlet and outlet ends and exposing an interior surface of said body to said internal channel, said waste gas stream being passed through said internal channel from said inlet end and combusted at said outlet end, said method comprising providing at least one waste gas stream containing a substantial amount of a mixture of methane, oxygen, and insitu molecular hydrogen and a minor amount of at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon that foams coke at the temperature of combustion of said waste gas stream, at least one of coating said interior surface and impregnating said body with an effective catalytic amount of at least one of a hydrogenation catalyst that promotes the hydrogen saturation of said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon and a combustion catalyst that promotes the combustion of said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon and carbonaceous residue, and combusting said waste gas stream using said catalyst carrying burner tip, wherein said body is impregnated with said hydrogenation catalyst so that as said burner tip wears away fresh hydrogenation catalyst is exposed to said waste gas stream.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said body is composed of stainless steel.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein at least a part of said combustion promoting catalyst is employed at said outlet end of said burner tip.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said mixture of methane and insitu molecular hydrogen comprises at least 50 volume percent of said waste gas stream, and said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon comprises less than 50 volume percent of said waste gas stream.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein said mixture of methane and insitu molecular hydrogen contains at least about 50 volume percent methane and less than 50 volume percent molecular hydrogen.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein said at least one unsaturated hydrocarbon is at least one material selected from the group consisting of mono-olefin, di-olefin, and aromatic hydrocarbons having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms per molecule.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein said hydrogenation catalyst contains an effective hydrogenation catalytic amount of at least one metal selected from Group VIB and Group VIII of the Periodic Table.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said hydrogenation catalyst metal is supported on at least one of alumina, silica, titania, zirconia, lanthana, and magnesia.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein said hydrogenation catalyst is at least one material selected from the group consisting of chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, zinc, silver, gold, cobalt, nickel, palladium, and platinum, and said combustion catalyst is at least one material selected from the group consisting of copper, ceria, yttria, and neodymium oxide.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein a set a channels is carried within said body adjacent said inlet end, said channels carrying at least one of said hydrogenation catalyst and combustion catalyst.