ENHANCEMENT OF METHANE CONVERSION USING ELECTRIC FIELDS
This report summarizes the conditions and results of this multifaceted program. Detailed experimental descriptions and results and discussion can be found in the publications cited in the Appendix. The goal of this project is the development of novel, economical, processes for the conversion of natural gas to more valuable projects such as synthesis gas or direct conversion to 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 discharge-enhanced catalysis for carrying out these conversions. With the electric discharge-enhanced conversion, the operating temperatures are expected to be far below those currently required for such processes as oxidative coupling, thereby allowing for a higher degree of catalytic selectivity while maintaining high activity. In the case of low temperature discharges, the conversion is carried out at ambient temperature, trading high temperature thermal energy for electric energy as the driving force for conversion. The low operating temperatures remove thermodynamic constraints on the product distribution due to the non-equilibrium nature of the low temperature plasma. This also removes the requirements of large thermal masses that need very large-scale operation to maximize efficiency that is the characteristic of current technologies, including high temperature plasma processes. This potentially allows much smaller scale processes to be efficient. Additionally, a gas conversion process that is electrically driven provides an internal use for excess power generated by proposed Fischer Tropsch gas-to-liquids processes and can increase their internal thermal efficiency and reduce capital costs. This project has studied three primary types of low temperature plasma reactor and operating conditions. The organization of this program is shown schematically in the report. Typical small scale laboratory reactor systems were developed that used mass flow controllers for feed gas mixture delivery and GC and MS analysis of products. The range of operation included flow rates from a few sccm to a few hundred sccm with residence times from less than a tenth of a second to about 30 minutes. Temperatures used were generally from ambient to 100 C, but were from as low as about 0 to a high of 800 C. Pressures were generally atmospheric, but for most of the configurations pressures up to 3 atmosphered were also used.
- Research Organization:
- University of Oklahoma (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG21-94MC31170
- OSTI ID:
- 834580
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 May 2000
- 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