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Production of methane-rich gas stream. [partial oxidation of hydrocarbonaceous fuel followed by methanation of CO and H/sub 2/ produced]

Patent ·
OSTI ID:7291745
Improved process for the production of a methane-rich product gas stream comprising the following steps: partial oxidation of a hydrocarbonaceous fuel feed employing a H/sub 2/O/fuel weight ratio of 2.2 to 2.9 and an atomic ratio of oxygen in the substantially pure oxygen to carbon in the fuel of 0.80 to 0.84 to produce a process gas stream comprising principally H/sub 2/, CO, and CH/sub 4/ in which the mole ratio H/sub 2//CO is 1 to 2.5, the mole percent CH/sub 4/ is 15 or more, and the particulate carbon is 13 weight percent (basis carbon in the fuel) or less; cooling the process gas stream and separating H/sub 2/O, CO/sub 2/, carbon, and gaseous impurities; reacting together the H/sub 2/ and CO in said process gas stream in a catalytic methanation zone to produce a methane-rich gas stream principally comprising CH/sub 4/ and containing gaseous members selected from the group consisting of H/sub 2/, CO, H/sub 2/O, CO/sub 2/, and mixtures thereof; and removing said H/sub 2/O and CO/sub 2/ to produce a methane-rich product gas stream comprising about 93 mole percent of CH/sub 4/. By means of the subject invention there is produced a high heating value clean fuel gas or a substitute natural gas of about 960 BTU per SCF or more. (auth)
Assignee:
Texaco Inc.
Patent Number(s):
US 3927998
OSTI ID:
7291745
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English