Methylation of ethylene over Lewis-acid catalysts

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:254830

Sekhar, M V.C. ^[1]

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1. CANMET, Ottawa (Canada)

As a major constituent of natural gas, methane is abundant and is a relatively inexpensive feedstock for a variety of chemicals. The use of methane as a fuel is straightforward. Consequently, over the years, considerable research has been conducted to develop technologies for its efficient utilization. Work on adsorbents for storing natural gas on-board automotive vehicles promises to expand its use considerably. Conversely, the use of methane as a chemical feedstock requires either the energy- and capital-intensive production of intermediate synthesis gas or its thermal cracking to a range of hydrocarbons. In recent years there has been a great deal of interest in processes that convert methane directly to olefins, methanol and other functionalized methane derivatives. Among the various conversion processes currently under development, the Oxidative Coupling (OC) route is the most promising. With increased attention being given to OC process, engineers have also begun outlining the corresponding reaction engineering aspects. The OC of methane rich natural gas yields a dilute olefin stream. At 25% hydrocarbon conversion, the ethylene in the dry reactor effluent is about 5%, with some propylene and other hydrocarbons. Because of the presence of large amounts of unconverted methane in the effluent, product separation is one of the main points of optimization in the existing oxidative coupling technology. Consequently, a processing scheme which does not require further separation of the product of the OC rector would be of considerable advantage. Reactions between methane and ethylene using a number of solid acids have also been reported by a number of authors in the past. However, some of these experiments were conducted at temperatures higher than ambient. In this paper we report some of the results obtained at ambient temperature as part of a screening program for developing catalyst systems for co-reacting methane with ethylene to produce higher hydrocarbons.

• OSTI ID: 254830
• Report Number(s): CONF-940813--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
ADSORBENTS
ALUMINIUM FLUORIDES
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CONVERSION
ETHYLENE
HYDROCARBONS
METHANE
METHYLATION
NATURAL GAS
NIOBIUM FLUORIDES
PROPYLENE