Abstract: The invention relates to a process for carrying out a high-temperature reaction, in which starting materials are supplied to a reaction chamber (4) through channels (2) of a burner block (3), where in the reaction chamber (4) the high-temperature reaction having a short residence time takes place at a temperature of at least 1500° C. and the reaction mixture is subsequently rapidly cooled in a quench area (5). The cooling takes place first as a direct cooling to a temperature in the range from 650° C. to 1200° C. by supply of an evaporating quench medium and subsequently as an indirect cooling in a heat exchanger.

Abstract: The present application relates to a burner block (1) comprising a base (2), a plurality of hydrocarbon channels (3) for the passage of hydrocarbon/air mixtures used as reactants, and at least one oxygen channel (4) for the passage of air or an air/oxygen mixture. An ignition burner (5) is optionally present. The burner block allows the combustion of hydrocarbons for the preparation of acetylene at temperatures of <1400° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of acetylene and synthesis gas by thermal treatment of a starting mixture containing one or more hydrocarbons and in addition molecular oxygen and/or one or more compounds containing the element oxygen, in which the starting mixture is heated, brought to reaction in a reactor and subsequently cooled. The process has the special feature that the starting mixture is heated to a maximum of 1400° C. It is then possible to carry out the process with comparatively little expenditure of energy.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of acetylene and synthesis gas by partial oxidation of hydrocarbons with oxygen, wherein the gaseous reactants are separately preheated, intimately mixed in a mixing zone, reacted after passing a burner block and rapidly quenched with an aqueous quench medium after reaction, further characterized in that the aqueous quench medium is recirculated in a closed system. Preferably the ratio of the gaseous reactants is selected in such a way that acetylene and soot produced in the reaction are obtained in a weight ratio of 50 to 500.