Described is a mixing device for mixing a gaseous stream of a fuel and an oxidant that has a cylindrical mixing chamber, means for injecting a gaseous stream of the fuel tangentially along the inner surface of the wall of the mixing chamber, and means for injecting a stream of the oxidant axially along the central longitudinal axis of the mixing chamber, wherein the diameter of the mixing chamber and the dimensions and location of the means for injecting the fuel and the oxidant are such that the tangentially injected stream of the fuel forms a wall jet around the axially injected stream of the oxidant without impinging upon the other stream. A reactor for the partial oxidation of a hydrocarbonaceous fuel containing the mixing device and to a process for the catalytic partial oxidation of a hydrocarbonaceous fuel using the mixing device is further described.
In a vertical reactor vessel through which vapor and liquid flow concurrently, the fluids pass vertically through a horizontal mixing box having internal flow baffles that form at least one mixing orifice through which the process stream flows at high velocity. In the mixing orifices the liquid is dispersed to obtain a large area for interphase heat and mass transfer. Each mixing orifice is followed by structure that divides the process stream into two lower velocity streams, whereby turbulent flow conditions are generated, and wherein hold-up time is provided to allow for heat and mass transfer. The fluids exit the mixing box through an outlet opening in a bottom wall of the mixing box. An impingement plate is located below this outlet opening to spread the liquid and decrease the velocity of the exiting jet. The outlet stream from the mixer is equilibrated regarding temperature and chemical composition.
