Back to results
US 12,122,731 B2Granted
System and method for low-cost methane upgrading to added-valuable products
AssigneeQatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development
InventorsAhmed Abotaleb, Giovanni Scabbia, Alessandro Sinopoli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure is generally directed to a new and innovative system, process and method that utilize a new “non-oxygen type of oxidizers” process for methane (CH4) upgrading to value-added products such as olefins and aromatics (i.e., benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX)) etc. and further removing toxic impurities such as sulphur-containing compounds (i.e. H2S) by using the sulphur as a source of radical.
Claims17
A process for converting methane (CH4) to higher hydrocarbons including olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons, the process comprising:
- (i) supplying a first feedstock comprising methane, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and a first catalytic material to a first reactor;
- (ii) operating the first reactor under a first reaction condition effective to convert at least a portion of the methane and hydrogen sulfide to carbon disulfide (CS2) and hydrogen (H2);
- (iii) supplying a second feedstock comprising the resulted carbon disulfide (CS2) and hydrogen (H2) from step (ii) and a second catalytic material to a second reactor;
- (iv) operating the second reactor under a second reaction condition effective to convert at least a portion of the carbon disulfide (CS2) and hydrogen (H2) to methanethiol (CH3SH) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S);
- (v) feeding a third feedstock comprising the resulted methanethiol (CH3SH) and hydrogen (H2) from step (iv) and a third catalytic material to a third reactor;
- (vi) operating the third reactor under a third reaction condition effective to convert at least a portion of the methanethiol (CH3SH) to produce the higher hydrocarbons;
- supplying the first feedstock comprising methane, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and a first catalytic material to a first economizer to be preheated to reach a temperature in a range of about 250-900° C. before supplying to the first reactor;
- and supplying the preheated first feedstock from the first economizer to a first reactor;
- and
- supplying the second feedstock comprising the resulted carbon disulfide (CS2) and hydrogen (H2) from step (ii) and the second catalytic material to a second economizer before supplying to the second reactor;
- supplying water to the second economizer;
- conducting a heat exchange in the second economizer to reduce the temperature of the second feedback down to a range of about 250-300° C. and to recover the heat from the second feedstock to heat up the water to form a steam;
- and supplying the second feedstock with reduced temperature from the second economizer to the second reactor.
10 more elements
A system for converting methane to higher hydrocarbons including olefins and aromatic hydrocarbons, the system comprising:
- a reaction unit comprising:
- (i) a first reactor configured to receive a first feedstock, the first reactor comprising a first catalytic material formulated for converting at least a portion of the methane and hydrogen sulfide to carbon disulfide (CS2) and hydrogen (H2) to form a first resulted mixture comprising the carbon disulfide (CS2) and the hydrogen (H2);
- (ii) a second reactor fluidly connected to the first reactor to receive the first resulted mixture, the second reactor comprising a second catalytic material formulated for converting at least a portion of the carbon disulfide (CS2) and hydrogen (H2) to methanethiol (CH3SH) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) to form a second resulted mixture comprising the methanethiol (CH3SH) and the hydrogen sulfide (H2S);
- (iii) a third reactor fluidly connected to the second reactor to receive the second resulted mixture, the third reactor comprising a third catalytic material formulated for converting at least a portion of the methanethiol (CH3SH) to the higher hydrocarbons to produce a third resulted mixture comprising the higher hydrocarbons;
- and
- a heat integration system comprising:
- a first economizer configured to receive and preheat a first feedstock that feeds into the first economizer, the first economizer configured to be fluidly connected to the first reactor to supply the preheated first feedstock to the first reactor;
- a fired heater configured to heat the first reactor;
- a second economizer fluidly connected to the first reactor to receive and cool down the first resulted mixture from the first reactor, and fluidly connected to the second reactor to supply the cooled first resulted mixture to the second reactor;
- a third economizer fluidly connected to the second reactor to receive and cool down the second resulted mixture from the second reactor;
- and fluidly connected to the third reactor configured to supply the cooled second resulted mixture to the third reactor;
- and
- a fourth economizer fluidly connected to the third reactor to receive and cool down the third resulted mixture from the third reactor to form a final reaction mixture comprising the resulted higher hydrocarbons.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.