Abstract: Methods and apparatus for combusting particulated ash producing solids are provided. The methods include the steps of conveying the solids to an elongated cylindrical combustion chamber, combining air with the solids to form an air-solids mixture and longitudinally injecting the mixture into the combustion chamber wherein the solids are ignited and combusted. One or more streams of relatively cool gas are tangentially injected into the interior of the combustion chamber in directions transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof so that a helical vortex is created within and along the length of the combustion chamber and the flame, ash and hot gaseous products of combustion produced therein are caused to flow through the central portion of the combustion chamber surrounded by a sleeve of cooler gas. The ash and hot gases are cooled in the combustion chamber to solidify tacky or molten ash therein and the resulting solidify ash and gases are withdrawn from the combustion chamber.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an improved furnace process for preparing carbon blacks, especially semi-reinforcing furnace blacks, by the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks wherein the structure characteristics of the resultant blacks are lowered without significantly increasing the particle size of the blacks.