# US 9,434,663 B2 · Glycols removal and methane conversion process using a supersonic flow reactor

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- Number: US 9,434,663 B2
- Document ID: US9434663B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/950,526
- Filed: 2013-07-25
- Published: 2014-02-27
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-08-21
- Assignees: Uop LLC
- Applicants: Uop LLC
- Inventors: Dean E. Rende; Jayant K. Gorawara; Laura E. Leonard
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434663B2

## CPC

- C07C 7/12: by adsorption, i.e. purification or separation of hydrocarbons with the aid of solids, e.g. with ion-exchangers
- C07C 2/76: by condensation of hydrocarbons with partial elimination of hydrogen
- C07C 7/13: by molecular-sieve technique
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. The method includes removing at least a portion of glycols from a hydrocarbon stream. The hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to another hydrocarbon process. The method according to certain aspects includes controlling the level of glycols and in particular, dimethyl ethers of polyethylene glycol in the hydrocarbon stream.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing acetylene comprising:
introducing a feed stream comprising methane into a supersonic reactor;
pyrolyzing the methane in the supersonic reactor to form a reactor effluent stream comprising acetylene; and
treating at least a portion of the feed stream or the reactor effluent stream in a contaminant removal zone to remove glycols from the feed stream or the reactor effluent stream that is contacted with an adsorbent material comprising one or more adsorbents to remove said glycols.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the contaminant removal zone is positioned upstream of the supersonic reactor to remove the portion of the glycols from the feed stream prior to introducing the feed stream into the supersonic reactor.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2 wherein the contaminant removal zone is positioned upstream of a heating zone for heating the feed stream wherein said heating zone is upstream of said supersonic reactor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising passing the reactor effluent stream to a downstream hydrocarbon conversion zone and converting at least a portion of the acetylene in the reactor effluent stream to another hydrocarbon in the downstream hydrocarbon conversion zone.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein said reactor effluent stream is sent to the contaminant removal zone prior to passing to said downstream hydrocarbon conversion zone.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein said reactor effluent stream is sent to the contaminant removal zone after passing through said hydrocarbon downstream conversion zone.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said adsorbent is a zeolite selected from the group consisting of faujasites (13X, CaX, NaY, CaY, and ZnX), chabazites, clinoptilolites and LTA (4A, 5A) zeolites.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said adsorbent is a silica gel or an activated carbons.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising passing the reactor effluent stream to a downstream hydrocarbon conversion zone and converting at least a portion of the acetylene in the reactor effluent stream to another hydrocarbon in the downstream hydrocarbon conversion zone.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein the contaminant removal zone is positioned downstream of the supersonic reactor and upstream of the hydrocarbon conversion zone to remove at least a portion of the glycols from the reactor effluent stream.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said adsorbent is an activated or promoted alumina wherein a promoter in said promoted alumina is an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 wherein said alkali metal is selected from the group consisting of lithium, sodium, potassium and said alkaline earth metal is selected from the group consisting of beryllium, magnesium and calcium.