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U.S. Department of Energy
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Direct conversion of methane to C sub 2 's and liquid fuels

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6349800

Union Carbide Corporation's (UCC's) capabilities for studying the oxidative coupling of methane were expanded from one to three reactors by the addition of a second reactor system with two reactors. Reactors of quartz, stainless steel, and alonized stainless steel were built, tested, and are interchangeable in both reactor systems. Research on metal oxide catalysts (promoted metal oxide and rare earth catalysts) has continued. Studies on catalysts similar to the UCC-S:1 catalyst system showed that changing an anion of the catalyst resulted in a catalyst less active and less selective to C{sub 2}'s; whereas, replacing a cation with cations of the same periodic group resulted in catalysts which exhibited high C{sub 2} selectivities, high ethylene to ethane ratios, and, in some cases, loss of catalyst activity. Experiments indicated that there is some interaction between the support and catalyst that results in the observed catalytic properties, including activity, and the high ethylene to ethane ratios. Research on catalysts containing metals in unusual oxidation states and other novel catalysts and process ideas has begun. Work has continued on the economic evaluation of a hypothetical process to convert methane to ethylene, and on the conversion of methane to fuels using established technologies.

Research Organization:
Union Carbide Corp., South Charleston, WV (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE/FE
DOE Contract Number:
AC22-87PC79817
OSTI ID:
6349800
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/79817-2-Rev.1; ON: DE91005871
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English