Methane conversion
AssigneeAtlantic Richfield Company
InventorsHoward P. Withers, John A. Sofranko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for converting methane to higher hydrocarbon product by contacting methane with a solid which comprises a reducible metal oxide which when contacted with methane at a temperature within the range of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. is reduced and produces higher hydrocarbon products and a promoting amount of at least one chalcogen component. The preferred chalcogen components are selected from a group consisting of sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and compounds thereof.
Claims19
In an improved method for converting methane to higher hydrocarbon products wherein a gas comprising methane is contacted at a temperature selected within the range of 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. with a contact solid comprising at least one reducible oxide of at least metal which oxides when contacted with methane at said temperature are reduced and produce higher hydrocarbon products and water, the improvement which comprises incorporating at least one chalcogen component into said contact solid.
A method for converting methane to higher hydrocarbons which comprises:
- (a) contacting at a temperature selected within the range of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. a gas comprising methane and a contact solid comprising:
- (1) at least one reducible oxide of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Mn, Sn, In, Ge, Pb, Sb and Bi and (2) at least one promoter selected from the group consisting of the chalcogens and compounds thereof, said contacting producing an effluent comprising higher hydrocarbons and water and solids comprising reduced metal oxides;
- (b) recovering higher hydrocarbons;
- (c) at least periodically contacting solids comprising reduced metal oxides with an oxygen-containing gas to regenerate solids comprising a reducible metal oxide;
- (d) at least periodically contacting solids selected from the group consisting of solids comprising reduced metal oxides and said regenerated solids with a chalcogen source to incorporate additional chalcogen promoter into said selected solids;
- and
- (e) contacting a gas comprising methane with solids produced in step (d) as recited in step (a).
In an improved method for converting methane to higher hydrocarbon products comprising contacting a gas comprising methane at a temperature within the range of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. with at least one reducible oxide of at least one metal which oxide(s) when contacted with methane at said temperature are reduced and produce higher hydrocarbon products and water, the improvement which comprises at least periodically contacting a member of the group consisting of said reducible metal oxides, said reduced metal oxides and mixtures thereof with a chalcogen source.
In an improved method for converting methane to higher hydrocarbon products comprising contacting a gas comprising methane at a temperature selected with the range of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. with a solid comprising:
- (a) at least one reducible oxide of at least one metal which oxide(s) when contacted with methane at said temperature are reduced and produce higher hydrocarbon products and water;
- and
- (b) at least one member of the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals and compounds thereof;
- the improvement which comprises at least periodically contacting a member of the group consisting of solids comprising said reducible metal oxides solids comprising said reduced metal oxides and mixtures thereof with a chalcogen source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.