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Process for synthesizing low boiling aliphatic hydrocarbons from carbon monoxide and hydrogen

Patent ·
OSTI ID:6890981

Battelle Development Corp.'s methanation process uses a unique sulfided catalyst that resists sulfur poisoning and eliminates the need for a water-gas-shift reaction by allowing the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide to proceed at H/sub 2//CO ratios of 1:2 to 2:1, preferably 1:1. The process involves passing hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a temperature of about 660/sup 0/ to 840/sup 0/F (350/sup 0/ to 450/sup 0/C) and a pressure of about 600 to 10,000 psig at a space velocity of 200 to 6000 in contact with a catalyst consisting of an interspersed mixture of cobalt oxide (1 to 15 wt %), aluminum oxide (55 to 85 wt %), and zinc oxide (15 to 30 wt %); by elemental analysis the mixture contains less than about 0.5 wt % of alkali metal. The catalyst is sulfided in a final sulfur content of 2.0 to 12.0 wt %. The methanation process recovers a final low-boiling aliphatic hydrocarbon product consisting predominantly of methane, ethane, propane, carbon dioxide, and unconverted hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Assignee:
Battelle Development Corp.
Patent Number(s):
US 4077995
OSTI ID:
6890981
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English