Silicon carbide-supported catalysts for partial oxidation of natural gas to synthesis gas
AssigneeConocoPhillips Company
InventorsSriram Ramani, David M. Minahan, Yi Jiang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for converting light hydrocarbons (e.g. methane or natural gas) to synthesis gas employs a silicon carbide-supported catalyst that catalyzes a net partial oxidation reaction. Certain preferred catalysts include a catalytically active metal disposed on a silicon carbide support.
Claims36
A process for the production of synthesis gas, comprising:
- contacting a reactant gas comprising light hydrocarbons and an oxygen-containing gas with a catalyst comprising a catalytically active metal on a support material, wherein the support material has a thermal conductivity greater than 40 W/mK at 25° C.
A method of converting a C1-C5 hydrocarbon to a product gas mixture comprising CO and H2, the method comprising:
- contacting a reactant gas mixture comprising the hydrocarbon and a source of molecular oxygen with a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst in the reaction zone of a syngas production reactor at a gas hourly space velocity in excess of about 20,000 hr−1, the catalyst comprising a catalytically active metal disposed on a plurality of discrete structures of a silicon carbide support material, wherein the support material has a thermal conductivity greater than 40 W/mK at 25° C.;
- and
- maintaining catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) promoting conditions during the contacting such that a net partial oxidation reaction is catalyzed by the catalyst.
A method of converting a C1-C5 hydrocarbon feedstock comprising at least about 50 vol % methane to a product gas mixture comprising CO and H2, the method comprising:
- mixing a gaseous C1-C5 hydrocarbon-containing feedstock and an O2-containing feedstock to provide a reactant gas mixture having a C:O2 molar ratio of about 1.25:1 to about 3.3:1;
- passing the reactant gas mixture over a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst in the reaction zone of a reactor at a gas hourly space velocity in excess of about 20,000 hr−1, the catalyst comprising a catalytically active metal disposed on a plurality of discrete structures of a silicon carbide support material, wherein the support material has a thermal conductivity greater than 40 W/mK at 25° C.;
- during the contacting, maintaining the catalyst at a temperature of about 600-2,000° C.;
- during the contacting, maintaining the reactant gas mixture at a pressure of about 100-12,500 kPa;
- and
- during the contacting, adjusting the hydrocarbon and the oxygen concentration in the reactant gas mixture feedstock to a C:O2 molar ratio of about 1.25:1 to about 3.3:1, such that the CPOX reaction is favored.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.