PATENTS

2841.  RUBLE, R. J. (Texaco Development Corp.).  Preparation of Gas Mixtures.  United States Patent 2,484,249.  Oct. 11, 1949;  appl. filed Mar.19, 1947, Serial No.  735,597;  3 claims (Cl. 48-212).  Chem. Abs., vol. 44, 1950, p. 2207.

            Gas mixtures, such as H₂ and CO, are prepared from hydrocarbons, such as natural gas, by controlled combustion in an engine of the internal-combustion type, but the carburetion of the feed gases has proved difficult because of the danger of preignition and flashback.  These difficulties are avoided in the present invention by feeding the reactants into the cylinder separately; this prevents them from mixing throughout the combustion space and causes them to mix in a predetermined zone at a predetermined time by controlled increments, so that the advance of the flame front compresses only a incombustible reactant of mixture of reactants.  For example, 1 of the reactants, such as the O₂ containing gas, preferably consisting of 90-99% O₂, is introduced through the usual intake valve and compressed on the compression stroke.  The hydrocarbon is then introduced in the compressed gas containing O₂ at a point of ignition or near it.  If preignition occurs, it can only be at or near the desired point of piston travel and under such conditions that a combustible mixture is formed only at the point of ignition and can do no harm.  The injection of the hydrocarbon is continued into zones of the combustion chamber immediately in advance of the reaction front

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