Method for Producing Hydrocarbons by Oxidative Coupling of Methane with a Heavy Diluent

摘要

A method for producing C2 hydrocarbons comprising (a) introducing a reactant mixture to a reactor comprising a catalyst, wherein the reactant mixture comprises CH4, O2 and a heavy diluent, and wherein the reactant mixture is characterized by a bulk CH4/O2 molar ratio; (b) allowing the reactant mixture to contact a surface of the catalyst and react via an oxidative coupling of CH4 (OCM) reaction to form a product mixture, wherein the reactant mixture is characterized by a local CH4/O2 molar ratio on the catalyst surface, wherein the local CH4/O2 molar ratio is greater than the bulk CH4/O2 molar ratio, wherein the product mixture comprises C2 hydrocarbons, and wherein a selectivity to C2 hydrocarbons is increased by at least about 1% when compared to a selectivity of an otherwise similar OCM reaction conducted in the absence of the heavy diluent; and (c) recovering the product mixture from the reactor.

主权项

1. A method for producing C2 hydrocarbons comprising:
(a) introducing a reactant mixture to a reactor comprising a catalyst, wherein the reactant mixture comprises methane (CH4), oxygen (O2) and a heavy diluent, and wherein the reactant mixture is characterized by a bulk CH4/O2 molar ratio; (b) allowing at least a portion of the reactant mixture to contact a surface of the catalyst and react via an oxidative coupling of CH4 reaction to form a product mixture, wherein the reactant mixture is characterized by a local CH4/O2 molar ratio on the catalyst surface, wherein the local CH4/O2 molar ratio is greater than the bulk CH4/O2 molar ratio, wherein the product mixture comprises C2 hydrocarbons, and wherein a selectivity to C2 hydrocarbons is increased by equal to or greater than about 1% when compared to a selectivity of an otherwise similar oxidative coupling of CH4 reaction conducted with a similar bulk CH4/O2 molar ratio in the absence of the heavy diluent; and (c) recovering at least a portion of the product mixture from the reactor.