THE FURNACE BLACK PROCESS

This is a more advanced partial combustion process. The feed is first preheated and then combusted in the reactor with a limited amount of air.

The hot gases containing carbon particles from the reactor are quenched with a water spray and then further cooled by heat exchange with the air used for the partial combustion. The type of black produced depends on the feed type and the furnace temperature. The average particle diameter of the blacks from the oil furnace process ranges between 200–500 Å, while it ranges between 400–700 Å from the gas furnace process. Figure 1.1 shows the oil furnace black process.

Figure 1.1. Carbon black (oil black) by furnace process of Ashland Chemical Co.