# US 2010/0167136 A1 · Process for the conversion of natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0167136 A1 - Document ID: US20100167136A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/684,373 - Filed: 2010-01-08 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2003-09-23 - Assignees: Synfuels International, Inc. - Inventors: Sean C. Gattis; Edward R. Peterson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100167136A1 ## CPC - C10G 50/00: Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from lower carbon number hydrocarbons, e.g. by oligomerisation - Y10S 585/943: Synthesis from methane or inorganic carbon source, e.g. coal - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract A process for converting natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons comprising heating the gas through a selected range of temperature for sufficient time and/or combustion of the gas at a sufficient temperature and under suitable conditions for a reaction time sufficient to convert a portion of the gas stream to reactive hydrocarbon products, primarily ethylene or acetylene. The gas containing acetylene may be separated such that acetylene is converted to ethylene. The ethylene product(s) may be reacted in the presence of an acidic catalyst to produce a liquid, a portion of which will be predominantly naphtha or gasoline. A portion of the incoming natural gas or hydrogen produced in the process may be used to heat the remainder of the natural gas to the selected range of temperature. Reactive gas components are used in a catalytic liquefaction step and/or for alternate chemical processing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquid, comprising: providing a natural gas stream; providing a feed stream comprising all or part of the natural gas stream; providing a burn stream comprising combustible material; conveying the feed stream and burn stream to a reactor wherein the burn stream is burned in a combustion section with an oxidant to heat the feed stream by intimate mixing with the combustion products to a temperature and for a time such that a reactive product stream comprising hydrogen and reactive products is formed, said reactive products comprising acetylene; quenching the reactive product stream; separating from the reactive product stream an acetylene rich stream and a light gas stream; conveying the acetylene rich stream to a hydrogenation reactor; reacting acetylene and hydrogen in the hydrogenation reactor to form ethylene; conveying a portion of the hydrogenation reactor effluent comprising ethylene to a catalytic liquefaction reactor and operating the catalytic liquefaction reactor such that some hydrocarbon liquid is produced; and conveying the hydrocarbon liquid to storage or transport. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein one, some, or all of the natural gas, feed, burn, and oxidant streams is or are preheated using a device selected from the group consisting of electric arc, resistance heater, plasma generator, fuel cell, combustion heater, heat exchanger, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the natural gas stream is between about 1 bar and about 20 bar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising removing contaminants from the natural gas stream. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the burn stream comprises a portion of the natural gas stream. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the burn stream comprises hydrogen. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the feed stream is preheated to a temperature in the range of from about 400K to about 1800K. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the feed stream is maintained at a temperature of at least 400K for between about 0.1 and about 100 milliseconds. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the feed stream is maintained at a temperature of at least 400K for between about 0.2 and about 10 milliseconds. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the burn stream is preheated to a temperature in the range of from about 400K to about 1800K. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidant is preheated to a temperature in the range of from about 400K to about 1800K. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the natural gas stream is preheated to a temperature in the range of from about 400K to about 1800K. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating some carbon dioxide from the reactive product stream. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating some hydrogen from the reactive product stream. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: conveying at least a portion of the hydrogen to a fuel cell or turbine; providing oxygen to the fuel cell or turbine; and reacting the hydrogen with the oxygen in the fuel cell or burning the hydrogen with the oxygen in the turbine to produce electricity. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the fuel cell or turbine also produces heat. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: heating water produced in the fuel cell using the heat produced in the fuel cell to form steam; and generating electricity from the steam. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising conveying at least a portion of the hydrogen back to the reactor such that the hydrogen comprises all or part of the burn stream. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising conveying at least a portion of the hydrogen to the hydrogenation reactor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising providing hydrogen to the hydrogenation reactor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the catalytic liquefaction reactor comprises an acid catalyst. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature in the catalytic liquefaction reactor is operated at a temperature in the range of from about 300K to about 1000K. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidant comprises oxygen. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the reactive product stream is quenched using a device selected from the group consisting of a Joule-Thompson expander, nozzle, turbo expander, water spray, hydrocarbon spray, oil spray, steam, boiler, heat exchanger, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the reactive product stream is quenched at least partially by mixing the reactive product stream with vapor or liquid hydrocarbons. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: separating a gas or vapor from the hydrocarbon liquid and recirculating a portion of the gas or vapor to the reactor. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: separating a gas or vapor from the hydrocarbon liquid and recirculating a portion of the gas or vapor to the catalytic liquefaction reactor. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: separating a gas or vapor from the hydrocarbon liquid and using at least a portion of the gas or vapor stream to at least partially quench the reactive product stream. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: separating a liquid stream from the hydrocarbon liquid; and using at least a portion of the liquid stream to at least partially quench the reactive product stream. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating at least a portion of the hydrogen from the hydrocarbon liquid. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, further comprising passing at least a portion of the hydrogen back to the reactor such that the hydrogen comprises all or part of the burn stream. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid comprises naphtha or gasoline. ### Claim 33 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing nitrogen to the reactor. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The method of claim 33, further comprising heating the nitrogen prior to its introduction to the reactor by a device selected from the group consisting of electric arc, resistance heater, plasma generator, fuel cell, combustion heater, heat exchanger, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing steam, water, or both to the reactor. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35, further comprising heating the steam, water, or both prior to introduction to the reactor by a device selected from the group consisting of electric arc, resistance heater, plasma generator, fuel cell, combustion heater, heat exchanger, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 37 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising introducing carbon dioxide to the reactor. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The method of claim 37, wherein the carbon dioxide is obtained in whole or in part from a stream in the process containing carbon dioxide. ### Claim 39 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating hydrogen from at least a portion of the light gas stream. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising using a portion of the hydrogen to generate electricity directly or indirectly. ### Claim 41 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising conveying at least a portion of the hydrogen to the reactor. ### Claim 42 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising conveying at least a portion of the hydrogen to the hydrogenation reactor. ### Claim 43 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising conveying a portion of the light gas stream from which some hydrogen has been removed to the reactor. ### Claim 44 (depends on 39) The method of claim 39, further comprising separating at least some carbon dioxide from at least a portion of the light gas stream from which some hydrogen has been removed. ### Claim 45 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating a gas or vapor from the process and using the gas or vapor as fuel. ### Claim 46 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating a gas or vapor from the process and using the gas or vapor to generate electricity. ### Claim 47 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating a liquid or slurry from the process and using the liquid or slurry as fuel. ### Claim 48 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising recirculating a portion of the light gas stream to the reactor. ### Claim 49 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating at least some carbon dioxide from at least a portion of the light gas stream. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The method of claim 49, further comprising conveying a portion of the light gas stream from which some carbon dioxide has been removed to the reactor. ### Claim 51 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating at least some ethylene from at least a portion of the light gas stream. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The method of claim 51, further comprising conveying a portion of the ethylene to the catalytic liquefaction reactor. ### Claim 53 (depends on 51) The method of claim 51, further comprising conveying a portion of the light gas stream from which some ethylene has been removed to the reactor. ### Claim 54 (depends on 51) The method of claim 51, further comprising conveying a portion of the ethylene to storage or to further processing outside the process. ### Claim 55 (depends on 51) The method of claim 51, further comprising separating at least some carbon dioxide from at least a portion of the light gas stream from which some ethylene has been removed. ### Claim 56 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising conveying a portion of the ethylene produced in the hydrogenation reactor to storage or to further processing outside the process. ### Claim 57 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating at least some hydrogen from the hydrogenation reactor effluent. ### Claim 58 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating hydrogen from the process and using a portion of the hydrogen for one or more purposes selected from the group consisting of: recirculating back to the reactor; conveying to the hydrogenation reactor; generating electricity directly or indirectly; burning as fuel; and exporting from the process for external use. ### Claim 59 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising separating hydrogen from one or more sources within the process selected from the group consisting of: a portion of the reactive product stream; a portion of the light gas stream; a portion of the light gas stream after some ethylene has been removed; a portion of the light gas stream after some carbon dioxide has been removed; a portion of the light gas stream after some ethylene and carbon dioxide have been removed; a portion of the hydrogenation reactor effluent; and the hydrocarbon liquid.