Method for producing long-chain hydrocarbons from natural gas
AssigneeCompactGTL plc
InventorMichael Bowe
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; the resulting gas mixture is used to perform Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in a second catalytic reactor. After performing Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, the remaining hydrogen is separated from a hydrocarbon-rich stream using a hydrogen-permeable membrane, and the hydrocarbon-rich stream is returned to be subjected to steam reforming. Preferably the hydrogen-rich stream is supplied to a combustion channel to provide heat for the endothermic steam-reforming reaction. The overall process converts natural gas to longer-chain hydrocarbons and can provide a carbon conversion of more than 80%.
Claims9
1-6. (canceled)
A process for processing natural gas to generate longer-chain hydrocarbons, the process comprising subjecting the gas to steam reforming to generate a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and then subjecting this mixture to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, cooling and separating the resulting mixture into a liquid phase comprising the longer-chain hydrocarbons and a gas phase, and separating the gas phase into a hydrogen-rich stream and a hydrocarbon-rich stream using a hydrogen-permeable membrane, wherein the hydrocarbon-rich stream is returned to be combined with the natural gas and the steam and subjected to catalytic methanation in a prereformer prior to being subjected to steam reforming.
A plant for processing natural gas to generate longer-chain hydrocarbons, the plant comprising a reforming reactor for subjecting the gas to steam reforming to generate a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, a reactor for subjecting this mixture to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, means to cool and separate the resulting mixture into a liquid phase comprising the longer-chain hydrocarbons and a gas phase, a hydrogen-permeable membrane for separating the gas phase into a hydrogen-rich stream and a hydrocarbon-rich stream, and means to return the hydrocarbon-rich stream to be combined with the natural gas and the steam and supplied to a pre-reformer in which it is subjected to catalytic methanation prior to being fed into the reforming reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.