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US 3,958,957 AGranted
Methane production
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorsKwang K. Koh, Robert E. Pennington, Lonnie W. Vernon, Nicholas C. Nahas
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AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorsKwang K. Koh, Robert E. Pennington, Lonnie W. Vernon, Nicholas C. Nahas
Estimating the term…
Methane is produced by contacting a mixture of carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide and hydrogen with a carbon-alkali metal catalyst at a temperature in the range between about 800.degree.F. and about 1500.degree.F. and at a pressure between about atmospheric and about 2000 psig. The catalyst employed may be prepared by heating an intimate mixture of coal, coal char, coke or other carbonaceous solids and an alkali metal salt, hydroxide or similar constituent. Such a catalyst promotes the methanation of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide and the formation of higher hydrocarbons by the Fischer-Tropsch reaction and at the same time is resistant to high temperature sintering and poisoning by sulfur compounds present in the feed gas. The catalyst can be regenerated if necessary by air oxidation.
A method for the production of a methane-rich gas which comprises introducing a gaseous mixture of hydrogen and at least one carbon oxide into a reaction zone containing a carbon-alkali metal catalyst at a temperature between about 800.degree. F. and about 1500.degree. F. and at a pressure between about atmospheric and about 2000 psig, said catalyst being prepared by heating an intimate mixture consisting essentially of a carbonaceous solid and an alkali metal constituent to an elevated temperature sufficient to produce a reaction between the carbon and alkali metal in said mixture and form a carbon-alkali metal reaction product, and recovering a methane-rich gas from said reaction zone.
A process for the production of a methane-rich gas which comprises reacting steam with a carbonaceous feed material to produce a synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.