Process for Removing Methane from a Gas

摘要

In a method for removing methane from feed gas having a methane concentration of 2 mole % or less, the feed gas is optionally mixed with make-up methane or air and passed through a heat exchanger to heat the gas to an oxidation reactor inlet temperature T1. The heated stream is passed to the reactor where the methane is oxidised. A gas stream including the products of the oxidation reaction are removed with the gas stream being at a reactor outlet temperature T2 higher than the inlet temperature T1. The gas stream is then passed through the heat exchanger against the reactor stream to recover heat from the gas stream removed in the reactor and to heat the reactor stream. The outlet temperature T2 is measured and the inlet temperature T1 is controlled by adjusting the relative amount of make-up methane and/or air added to the feed gas.

主权项

1. A method for removing methane from feed gas having a methane concentration of 2 mole % or less, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) optionally mixing the feed gas with at least one of make-up methane and make-up air; (b) passing the feed gas and optional make-up gas through a heat exchanger to raise the temperature of the gas to the desired inlet temperature T1 of an oxidation reactor; (c) passing the heated stream from step (b) to the oxidation reactor containing an oxidation catalyst, where the methane is oxidised; (d) removing a gas stream including the products of the oxidation reaction from the reactor, said gas stream being at an outlet temperature T2 which is higher than the inlet temperature T1; (e) passing the gas stream removed in step (d) through the heat exchanger against the reactor stream from step (b) to allow the heat to be recovered from the gas stream removed in step (d) and utilised to heat the reactor stream in step (b); and (f) measuring the outlet temperature T2 and controlling the inlet temperature T1 by adjusting the relative amount of the at least one of the make-up methane and make up air added in step (a).