Enhancement of methane conversion using electric fields. Quarterly report, October 1--December 31, 1996
The goal of this project is the development of novel, economical, processes for the conversion of natural gas to more valuable projects such as methanol, ethylene and other organic oxygenates or higher hydrocarbons. The methodologies of the project are to investigate and develop low temperature electric discharges and electric field-enhanced catalysis for carrying out these conversions. In the case of low temperature discharges, the conversion is carried out at ambient temperature which in effect trades high temperature thermal energy for electric energy as the driving force for conversion. The low operating temperatures relax the thermodynamic constraints on the product distribution found at high temperature and also removes the requirements of large thermal masses required for current technologies. With the electric field-enhanced conversion, the operating temperatures are expected to be below those currently required for such processes as oxidative coupling, thereby allowing for a higher degree of catalytic selectivity while maintaining high activity. During this quarter the authors worked on some kinetics experiments and also did some catalyst screening, particularly looking for correlations with surface OH and oxygen groups to help determine the manner in which these surfaces alter the selectivities. On the dielectric systems they looked at power versus frequency and conversions relationships, worked on oxygen utilization and started building a short residence time reactor for studying intermediate formation and destruction.
- Research Organization:
- Oklahoma Univ., Norman, OK (United States). Office of Research Administration
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG21-94MC31170
- OSTI ID:
- 491478
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/MC/31170-5622; ON: DE97052408; TRN: AHC29714%%16
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: [1996]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Enhancement of methane conversion using electric fields. Quarterly report, December 1994--March 1995
Enhancement of methane conversion using electric fields. Quarterly report, July--September 1995