Process for the catalytic oxidation of hydrocarbons

1. A process for the oxidation of a hydrocarbon said process comprising:

partially oxidising in a reaction zone, a mixture comprising a hydrocarbon and an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst which is capable of supporting oxidation of the hydrocarbon, wherein prior to said partial oxidation, said mixture comprising the hydrocarbon and the oxygen-containing gas is passed through a heat exchanger, and wherein the heat exchanger provides a pressure drop which acts to even the velocity profile and ensure that the reactants flow uniformly over the catalyst.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger has gas outlets and the distance between adjacent gas outlets is in the range 1 to 10 mm.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger provides a residence time in the range 10 to 1000 milliseconds.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger is a compact heat exchanger.

5. A process according to claim 4 wherein the fluid exiting the channel outlets of the compact heat exchanger develops into a substantially uniform velocity profile within a distance of less than 100 mm from the channel outlets.

6. process according to claim 5 wherein substantially uniform velocity profile is achieved within a distance of less than 25 mm from the channel outlets.

7. A process according to claim 4 wherein the compact heat exchanger has a square cross section.

8. A process according to claim 7 wherein each side of the square is in the range 100 to 3000 mm.

9. A process according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger preheats the mixture of the hydrocarbon and oxygen-containing gas to a temperature below the autoignition temperature of the mixture.

10. A process according to claim 1 wherein the heat exchanger preheats the mixture of the hydrocarbon and oxygen-containing gas to a temperature at or above the autoignition temperature of the mixture.

11. A process according to claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon and oxygen-containing gas are mixed in at least one baffle zone prior to being passed through the heat exchanger.

12. A process according to claim 11 wherein the baffle zone comprises a housing and at least one baffle plate is contained within the housing.

13. A process according to claim 12 wherein the baffle plate is of circular cross section.

14. A process according to claim 12 wherein the baffle plate is disposed substantially perpendicularly to the direction of flow of the hydrocarbon and oxygen-containing gas mixture.

15. A process according to claim 12 wherein the baffle plate is located substantially midway along the length of the housing.

16. A process according to claim 12 wherein the housing defines a cubic baffle zone.

17. A process according to claim 16 wherein the baffle zone is of circular cross section and the ratio of the length of the housing to the diameter of the baffle plate is in the range 4:1 to 1:1.

18. A process according to claim 11 wherein the hydrocarbon and oxygen-containing gas mixture is pre-mixed in at least one mixing device prior to entry into the baffle zone.

19. A process according to claim 18 wherein the baffle zone comprises a circular baffle plate and the ratio of the diameter of the baffle plate to the diameter of the outlet of the mixing device is 1–5:1.

20. A process according to claim 18 wherein a plurality of mixing devices feed a single baffle zone housing which comprises a plurality of baffle plates.

21. A process according to claim 20 wherein the ratio of baffle plates to mixing devices is 1:1.

22. A process according to claim 11 wherein the baffle zone comprises a housing without a baffle plate into which the hydrocarbon/oxygen-containing gas mixture is fed substantially tangentially using one or more mixing devices.

23. A process according to claim 1 wherein the oxidation reaction is selected from the group consisting of the oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide, the oxidation of ethylene and acetic acid to vinyl acetate, the oxidation of naphthalene to phthalic anhydride, the oxidation of ortho-xylene to phthalic anhydride, the ammoxidation of propane to acrylonitrile, the oxidation of gaseous paraffinic hydrocarbons to syngas, the oxidation of C 4 hydrocarbon to maleic anhydride and the oxidation of benzene to maleic anhydride.

24. A process according to claim 23 wherein the oxidation reaction is the oxidation of methane to produce syngas.