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US 5,181,998 AGranted
Upgrading of low value hydrocarbons using a hydrogen donor and microwave radiation
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorsWilliam J. Murphy, David H. Shaw
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Low value hydrocarbons can be upgraded by contact with the products formed during irradiation of a hydrogen donor using microwave energy in the presence of at least one plasma initiator.
Claims21
A method for upgrading a low value hydrocarbon which comprises:
- (a) introducing a hydrogen donor with the proviso that if the hydrogen donor is not molecular hydrogen, then molecular hydrogen is added in an amount sufficient to prevent deactivation of the plasma initiator and a low value hydrocarbon into a reaction zone which contains at least one elongated plasma initiator capable of initiating an electric discharge in an electromagnetic field, wherein the plasma initiator is a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten, iron or mixtures thereof, or a non-metal other than silica and the pressure in the reaction zone is at least atmospheric pressure, and
- (b) subjecting the reaction zone to microwave radiation having a frequency of at least 0.3 GHz, thereby initiating an electric discharge and upgrading at least a portion of the low value hydrocarbon, wherein the weight ratio of carbon, based on carbon in the molecules in contact with the plasma initiator, to hydrogen is maintained at less than 6:1 during upgrading.
A method for upgrading a hydrogen deficient hydrocarbon which comprises:
- (a) introducing a hydrogen donor with the proviso that if the hydrogen donor is not molecular hydrogen, then molecular hydrogen is added in an amount sufficient to prevent deactivation of the plasma initiator and the hydrogen deficient hydrocarbon into a reaction zone which contains at least one elongated plasma initiator capable of initiating an electric discharge in an electromagnetic field, wherein the plasma initiator is a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten, iron or mixtures thereof, or a non-metal other than silica and the pressure in the reaction zone is at least atmospheric pressure, and
- (b) subjecting the reaction zone t microwave radiation having a frequency of at least 0.3 GHz, thereby initiating an electric discharge and hydrogenating at least a portion of the hydrogen deficient hydrocarbon, wherein the weight ratio of carbon, based on carbon in the molecules in contact with the plasma initiator, to hydrogen is maintained at less than 6:1 during hydrogenation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.