Process for converting gaseous alkanes to liquid hydrocarbons

A process for converting gaseous alkanes to liquid hydrocarbons comprising:

• reacting a gaseous feed having lower molecular weight alkanes with bromine vapor to form alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid;
• reacting said alkyl bromides in the presence of said hydrobromic acid and a synthetic crystalline alumino-silicate catalyst and at a temperature sufficient to form higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and additional hydrobromic acid;
• and
• transporting said hydrobromic acid, said additional hydrobromic acid and said higher molecular weight hydrocarbons to a first vessel having a bed of metal oxide particles, said hydrobromic acid and said additional hydrobromic acid reacting with said bed of metal oxide particles to form metal bromide particles and steam.

A process for converting gaseous alkanes to liquid hydrocarbons comprising:

• reacting a gaseous feed having lower molecular weight alkanes with bromine vapor to form alkyl bromides and hydrobromic acid;
• reacting said alkyl bromides in the presence of said hydrobromic acid and a synthetic crystalline alumino-silicate catalyst and at a temperature sufficient to form higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and additional hydrobromic acid;
• removing said hydrobromic acid and said additional hydrobromic acid from said higher molecular weight hydrocarbons by reaction with a metal oxide to form a first metal bromide and steam;
• oxidizing said first metal bromide with an oxygen containing gas to form bromine vapor;
• and
• reacting said bromine vapor with a reduced metal bromide to form a second metal bromide.