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US 5,205,915 AGranted
Conversion of methane using continuous microwave radiation (OP-3690)
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorsAlberto Ravella, William J. Murphy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methane can be effectively converted to acetylene, ethylene, and hydrogen by subjecting the methane to continuous microwave radiation in the presence of at least one plasma initiator that is capable of initiating an electric discharge in an electromagnetic field.
Claims14
A method for converting methane to acetylene, ethylene, and hydrogen which comprises
- (a) introducing methane into a reaction zone that contains at least one elongated plasma initiator capable of initiating an electric discharge in an electromagnetic field, and
- (b) subjecting the methane and plasma initiator to continuous microwave radiation, thereby initiating an electric discharge, ionizing the methane in the reaction zone, and converting at least a portion of the methane to acetylene, ethylene, and hydrogen.
A method for converting methane, to acetylene, ethylene, and hydrogen which comprises
- (a) introducing methane into a reaction zone which contains a plurality of metal wires capable of initiating an electric discharge in an electromagnetic field, and
- (b) subjecting the methane and metal wires to continuous microwave radiation having a frequency of at least 0.3 GHz, thereby initiating an electric discharge, ionizing the methane in the reaction zone, and converting at least a portion of the methane to acetylene, ethylene, and hydrogen, wherein the mole ratio of methane to hydrogen is greater than 1:1 during conversion.
A method for converting methane to primarily ethylene and hydrogen which comprises
- (a) introducing methane into a reaction zone that contains at least one elongated plasma initiator capable of initiating an electric discharge in an electromagnetic field, and
- (b) subjecting the methane and plasma initiator to continuous microwave radiation, thereby initiating an electric discharge, ionizing the methane in the reaction zone, and converting at least a portion of the methane to primarily ethylene and hydrogen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.