Direct conversion of methane to C sub 2 's

Technical Report · Thu Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:6349794

Warren, B K; Campbell, K D; Matherne, J L; Culp, G L

Exploration of alkaline earth/metal oxide catalysts and other metal/metal oxide catalysts continued. Alkaline earth carbonate/metal oxide catalysts exhibit longer periods of stable performance at higher methane conversions than similar alkaline earth chloride catalysts under comparable conditions. Higher ethylene to ethane ratios results from alkaline earth carbonate on titanium oxide or gallium oxide than from those on alumina. The effect of different levels of ethyl chloride was examined for the carbonate catalysts. Catalyst systems were found which are comparable in selectivity, activity, and C{sub 2} yield to the better literature catalysts, but which exhibit higher ethylene to ethane ratios and longer catalyst lifetimes than have been previously reported. Work was continued this quarter on bifunctional catalysts (Pd/SrCl{sub 2}/{alpha}-alumina). Layered perovskites were further studied. Sequential methane coupling studies were initiated with the double perovskite, LaCaMnCoO{sub 6}. The results of the economic evaluation of a hypothetical methane coupling process indicate that a commercial-scale unit could produce ethylene at a variable cost of $0.0588 per pound. An economic evaluation of the Comparison Case (methane -> synthesis gas -> methanol -> olefins -> fuels) has been completed. Existing technology for the conversion of methane to liquid fuels is not competitive with the current oil based route in the present pricing environment. The impact of methane cost on the required sales cost of gasoline and distillate for the Comparison Case and the Hypothetical Case were reviewed. 44 refs., 8 figs., 8 tabs.

• Research Organization: Union Carbide Chemical and Plastics Co., Inc., South Charleston, WV (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/FE
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-87PC79817
• OSTI ID: 6349794
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/79817-5; ON: DE91005730
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKANES
ALKENES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
BARIUM CARBONATES
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CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COBALT COMPOUNDS
COBALT OXIDES
COMPILED DATA
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DOCUMENT TYPES
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
ETHANE
ETHYLENE
FUELS
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GALLIUM NITRATES
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROCARBONS
INFORMATION
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LANTHANUM OXIDES
LIQUID FUELS
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM OXIDES
METALS
METHANE
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PALLADIUM
PEROVSKITES
PLATINUM METALS
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM OXIDES
PRASEODYMIUM
PROGRESS REPORT
RARE EARTH COMPOUNDS
RARE EARTHS
STRONTIUM CHLORIDES
STRONTIUM COMPOUNDS
TITANIUM COMPOUNDS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
YIELDS