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Title: Development of vanadium-phosphate catalysts for methanol production by selective oxidation of methane. Quarterly technical progress report No. 1, October--December 1992

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10143277· OSTI ID:10143277

Amax R&D will perform laboratory scale development of a promising, practical catalyst for the selective oxidation of methane to methanol. The primary component of this catalyst is vanadium-phosphate (VPO) which has shown good activity and selectivity in the partial oxidation of n-butane and propane but has not been studied in detail for methane oxidation. The goal of the project is to develop a catalyst which allows methane oxidation to methanol to be conducted at high conversion and selectivity. A low CH{sub 4}/O{sub 2} ratio will be employed with air as the source of oxygen. Temperatures below 600{degrees}C and pressures up to 20 atm are to be investigated. The use of steam in the feed gas will also be investigated. The catalyst development strategy will be to utilize promoters and supports to improve the activity and selectivity of the unmodified VPO catalyst. The catalyst testing reactor system was used to perform blank (empty) reactor runs over a wide range of temperatures, pressure, and flow rates. No methane conversion was observed at temperatures of 500{degrees}C or lower in any of the tests. At higher temperatures, significant methane conversion to carbon dioxide was observed. At 550{degrees}C, 300 psig, and the highest flow rate studied, reactor ignition was observed. Based on the results of these blank runs, we conclude that catalyst testing should be performed at temperatures not to exceed 500{degrees}C.

Research Organization:
AMAX Research and Development Center, Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-92PC92110
OSTI ID:
10143277
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/92110-T1; ON: DE93012568
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 4 Mar 1993
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English