Apparatus for oxidative coupling of methane

An apparatus for oxidative coupling of methane whereby reaction gases, which include a coupling feed gas containing methane and a gas containing oxygen, are allowed to react in the presence of a catalyst, and a coupling product gas containing an unsaturated hydrocarbon is produced;

• said apparatus for oxidative coupling of methane comprising a coupling reactor in a shape of a vertical pipe, a gas-solid separator, and a catalyst feedback means, which are connected in a loop;
• said coupling reactor comprising a catalyst-bed formation section, which is provided at a bottom portion of said coupling reactor, for forming a conveying catalyst bed which is formed by an ascending stream which contains said catalyst, a gas introduction nozzle for supplying at least a part of at least one of said reaction gases to said conveying catalyst bed, a coupling reaction section for producing a coupling product gas by allowing methane and oxygen to react in the presence of said catalyst, and a coupling-product-gas withdrawl outlet, which is provided at a top portion of said coupling reactor, for withdrawing said coupling product gas together with said catalyst;
• said gas-solid separator being provided for separating said coupling product gas and said catalyst;
• and
• said catalyst feedback means being provided for feeding back said catalyst, which is separated in said gas-solid separator, to said catalyst-bed formation section of said coupling reactor wherein said apparatus for oxidative coupling of methane further comprises between said gas-solid separator and said catalyst feedback means, a catalyst cooling means for cooling said catalyst.