Pyrolytic reactor

1. A pyrolytic reactor, comprising:

a fuel injection zone;

a combustion zone adjacent to said fuel injections zone;

an expansion zone adjacent to said combustion zone;

a feedstock injection zone adjacent to said expansion zone, said feedstock injection zone comprising a plurality of injection nozzles;

a mixing zone adjacent to said feedstock injection zone, said mixing zone configured to mix a carrier stream and feed material;

a reaction zone adjacent to said mixing zone;

wherein:

said plurality of injection nozzles are radially distributed in a first assembly defining a first plane of feed injection nozzles and in a second assembly defining a second plane of feed injection nozzles, wherein said plurality of injection nozzles in said first assembly are equally spaced around said feedstock injection zone and said plurality of injection nozzles in said second assembly are equally spaced around said feedstock injection zone;

said first plane is transverse to the injection zone;

said second plane is transverse to the injection zone;

said plurality of injection nozzles in said first assembly are configured to inject feed material into said carrier stream at a first radial penetration depth; and

said plurality of injection nozzles in said second assembly are configured to inject feed material into said carrier stream at a second radial penetration depth, wherein a feedstock target radial penetration depth for each injection nozzle in said plurality of injection nozzles is different from a feedstock target radial penetration depth for all other injection nozzles in said plurality of injection nozzles.

2. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the reaction zone is configured to transition said carrier stream from supersonic speed to subsonic speed to create a shockwave.

3. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the reaction zone is configured to transition said carrier stream from supersonic speed to subsonic speed to create a shock train.

4. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the reaction zone is configured to reduce a velocity of said carrier stream to convert kinetic energy to thermal energy.

5. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein each injection nozzle of said plurality of injection nozzles is selected from the group consisting of a jet, angled jet, aeroramp jet, ramp jet, and strut jet.

6. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein:

said first assembly comprises between 2 to 4 injection nozzles;

said second assembly comprises more injection nozzles than does the first assembly;

a jet diameter of injection nozzles in the first assembly is larger than a throat diameter of the injection nozzles in the second assembly.

7. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , further comprising a third assembly defining a third plane of feed injection nozzles transverse to said feedstock injection zone, wherein:

said plurality of injection nozzles are radially distributed along said first plane, said second plane, and said third plane; and

said plurality of injection nozzles in said third assembly are configured to inject feed material into said carrier stream at a third radial penetration depth.

8. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 6 , wherein the second radial penetration depth is less than the first radial penetration depth.

9. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 7 , wherein the third radial penetration depth is less than the second radial penetration depth.

10. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 6 , wherein the injection pressure of the injection nozzles in the first assembly is greater than the injection pressure of the injection nozzles in the second assembly.

11. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the fuel injection zone is further configured with an additional injector to introduce steam into said fuel injection zone.

12. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the first plane of feed injection nozzles is situated within an expanding nozzle.

13. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the second plane of feed injection nozzles is situated within an expanding nozzle.

14. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 7 , wherein the third plane of feed injection nozzles is situated within an expanding nozzle.

15. The pyrolytic reactor of claim 1 , wherein the feedstock injection zone comprises an annular cross section.