Method for producing long-chain hydrocarbons from natural gas
AssigneeCompactGTL plc
InventorMichael Joseph Bowe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Natural gas is reacted with steam for generating carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a first catalytic reactor. The resulting gas mixture is used to perform Fischer-Tropsch synthesis in a second catalytic reactor. After performing Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, the remaining hydrogen is separated from a hydrocarbon-rich stream using a hydrogen-permeable membrane, and the hydrocarbon-rich stream is returned to be subjected to steam reforming. Preferable, the hydrogen-rich stream is supplied to a combustion channel for providing heat for the endothermic steam-reforming reaction. The overall process converts natural gas to longer-chain hydrocarbons and can provide a carbon conversion of more than 80%.
Claims5
A process for generating longer-chain hydrocarbons from natural gas, said process including the steps of:
- subjecting natural gas to steam reforming for generating a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen,
- subjecting said mixture to Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for producing a resultant mixture,
- using a non-refrigerated coolant for cooling and separating said resultant mixture into a liquid phase comprised of longer-chain hydrocarbons and a gas phase,
- using a hydrogen-permeable membrane for separating said gas phase into a hydrogen-rich stream and a hydrocarbon-rich stream, and
- combining said hydrocarbon-rich stream with natural gas and steam for subjecting to catalytic methanation in a prereformer prior to steam reforming.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.