Method and apparatus for producing chemicals from a methane-containing gas

摘要

An apparatus and a method for producing chemicals from a methane-containing gas are provided. More specifically, the method and an apparatus make use of heterogeneous catalysis, beginning with the partial oxidation of methane to produce synthesis gas followed by a reaction, such as a Fischer-Tropsch reaction, to produce the chemicals.

主权项

1. An apparatus for producing chemicals from a methane-containing gas, the apparatus comprising:
a reactor comprising:
a gas input,a reaction product output, the gas input and the reaction product output defining together a gas flow path in the reactor,a partial oxidation reaction zone located inside the reactor downstream of the gas input, the partial oxidation reaction zone comprising a supported or unsupported partial oxidation metal catalyst, anda Fischer-Tropsch reaction zone located inside the reactor downstream of the partial oxidation reaction zone, the Fischer-Tropsch reaction zone comprising a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst, a methane-containing gas source feeding the methane-containing gas at a given partial pressure to the gas input, and an air source feeding air at a given partial pressure to the gas input,wherein, upon starting operation, the partial oxidation reaction zone is heated to start a partial oxidation reaction, andwherein, during operation, the temperature in the partial oxidation reaction zone is controlled by variation of the partial pressure of the methane-containing gas fed to the input.