Producing longer-chain hydrocarbons from natural gas
OwnerMichael Boweinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Natural gas is reacted with steam, to generate carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a first catalytic reactor (16); the resulting gas mixture is used to perform Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in a second catalytic reactor (26). After cooling the resulting gas stream in a heat exchanger (29), the remaining gas stream (30) is cooled a second time by decreasing its pressure (32), and the resulting condensed liquid is separated (33) from the remaining gas phase. This increases the production of condensate. The second cooling step may utilise a turbine (32), or a vortex tube (40), or a throttle valve.
Claims8
A process for processing natural gas (5) to generate longer-chain hydrocarbons, the process comprising subjecting the gas to steam reforming (16) to generate a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, then subjecting this mixture to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (26) at an elevated pressure, and subjecting the gas stream resulting from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to a first cooling process (29) by heat exchange to condense at least some of the products of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, characterized in that the remaining gas stream is then subjected to a second cooling process (32;
- 40) to cool it by decreasing its pressure, and the resulting condensed liquid is separated (33, 35) from the remaining gas phase (34).
A plant for processing natural gas (5) to generate longer-chain hydrocarbons, the plant comprising a reforming reactor (16) for subjecting the gas to steam reforming to generate a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, a reactor (26) for subjecting this mixture to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis at elevated pressure, and a heat exchanger (29) to cool the gas stream resulting from the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, characterized by the plant also comprising a second cooling means (32;
- 40) wherein the remaining gas stream is cooled by decreasing its pressure, and means (33) to separate resulting condensed liquid from the remaining gas phase (34) after the second cooling means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.