ADVANCED OXIDATIVE COUPLING OF METHANE
The present disclosure provides a method for generating higher hydrocarbon(s) from a stream comprising compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C 2+ ), comprising introducing methane and an oxidant (e.g., O 2 ) into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that has been retrofitted into a system comprising an ethylene-to-liquids (ETL) reactor. The OCM reactor reacts the methane with the oxidant to generate a first product stream comprising the C 2+ compounds. The first product stream can then be directed to a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit that recovers at least a portion of the C 2+ compounds from the first product stream to yield a second product stream comprising the at least the portion of the C 2+ compounds. The second product stream can then be directed to the ETL reactor. The higher hydrocarbon(s) can then be generated from the at least the portion of the C 2+ compounds in the ETL reactor.
1 . A method for generating higher hydrocarbon(s) from a stream comprising compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C 2+ ), comprising:
(a) introducing methane and an oxidant into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that has been retrofitted into a system comprising an ethylene-to-liquids (ETL) reactor, wherein said OCM reactor reacts said methane with said oxidant to generate a first product stream comprising said C 2+ compounds;
(b) directing said first product stream to a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit that recovers at least a portion of said C 2+ compounds from said first product stream to yield a second product stream comprising said at least said portion of said C 2+ compounds;
(c) directing said second product stream to said ETL reactor; and
(d) generating said higher hydrocarbon(s) from said at least said portion of said C 2+ compounds in said ETL reactor.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
recovering a light stream comprising (i) hydrogen and (ii) carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from said PSA unit and recycling said light stream to said OCM reactor;
directing at least a portion of said light stream into a methanation unit that reacts said hydrogen and said CO and/or CO 2 to produce a methanation product stream comprising methane; and
directing said methanation product stream into said OCM reactor.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising recovering C 2 and/or C 3 compounds from said second product stream and directing said C 2 and/or C 3 compounds to said OCM reactor.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said OCM reactor further comprises a post-bed cracking (PBC) unit.
5 . A method for generating compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C 2+ compounds), comprising:
(a) directing oxygen (O 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that reacts said O 2 and CH 4 in an OCM process to yield a product stream comprising (i) C 2+ compounds including ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and (ii) carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO 2 ); and
(b) directing said product stream from said OCM reactor into a separations system that employs a refrigeration unit having a refrigerant that includes methane from said product stream, to enrich said C 2+ compounds in said product stream.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said product stream is directed into said separations system through one or more additional units.
7 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising separating methane from said product stream for use in said refrigeration unit.
8 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising directing CO and/or CO 2 from said product stream to a methanation reactor that reacts said CO and/or CO 2 to yield a methanation product stream comprising methane.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising directing at least a portion of said methane in said methanation product stream to said OCM reactor.
10 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising separating said product stream into (i) an ethylene product stream comprising ethylene and (ii) a C 3+ product stream comprising compounds with three or more carbon atoms (C 3+ compounds).
11 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising directing ethane from said product stream to said OCM reactor.
12 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising, prior to directing said product stream into said separations system, compressing said product stream.
13 . A method for generating compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C 2+ compounds), comprising:
(a) directing oxygen (O 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that reacts said O 2 and CH 4 in an OCM process to yield a product stream comprising (i) C 2+ compounds including ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and (ii) carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO 2 ); and
(b) directing said product stream from said OCM reactor into a separations system that employs a complexation unit having a complexation catalyst that forms pi complexes with said ethylene in said product stream, to enrich said C 2+ compounds in said product stream.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said product stream is directed into said separations system through one or more additional units.
15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising using said complexation unit to remove one or more impurities from said product stream, wherein said impurities are selected from the group consisting of CO 2 , sulfur compounds, acetylenes, and hydrogen.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein said complexation catalyst includes one or more metals selected from the group consisting of silver and copper.
17 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising directing CO and/or CO 2 from said product stream to a methanation reactor that reacts said CO and/or CO 2 to yield a methanation product stream comprising methane.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising directing said methane in said methanation product stream to said OCM reactor.
19 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising separating said product stream into (i) an ethylene product stream comprising ethylene and (ii) a C 3+ product stream comprising compounds with three or more carbon atoms (C 3+ compounds).
20 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising directing ethane from said product stream to said OCM reactor.
21 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising, prior to directing said product stream into said separations system, compressing said product stream.
22 . A method for generating compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C 2+ compounds), comprising:
(a) directing oxygen (O 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that reacts said O 2 and CH 4 in an OCM process to yield a product stream comprising (i) C 2+ compounds including ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and (ii) carbon dioxide (CO 2 ); and
(b) directing said product stream from said OCM reactor into a separations system that employs a CO 2 separation unit to separate said CO 2 from said product stream, to enrich said C 2+ compounds in said product stream, which CO 2 separation unit employs (i) sorbent or solvent separation of CO 2 , (ii) membrane separation of CO 2 , or (iii) cryogenic or low temperature separation of CO 2 having an operating temperature greater than a boiling point of methane and less than a boiling point of CO 2 .
23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein said product stream is directed into said separations system through one or more additional units.
24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein said sorbent or solvent separation of CO 2 employs an amine based absorption system, a Benfield process, diethanolamine, glycol dimethylether, propylene carbonate, Sulfinol, a zeolite, or active carbon.
25 .- 31 . (canceled)
32 . The method of claim 22 , wherein said CO 2 separation system comprises a membrane CO 2 separation system.
33 . The method of claim 22 , wherein said membrane separation of CO 2 employs a polymeric membrane, metallic membrane, ceramic membrane, poly ionic liquid membrane, supported ionic liquid membrane, polyetherimide membrane, or hybrid membrane comprising a membrane supporting a solvent or sorbent.
34 .- 39 . (canceled)
40 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising directing said CO 2 from said product stream to a methanation reactor that reacts said CO 2 to yield a methanation product stream comprising methane.
41 . The method of claim 40 , further comprising directing said methane in said methanation product stream to said OCM reactor.
42 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising separating said product stream into (i) an ethylene product stream comprising ethylene and (ii) a C 3+ product stream comprising compounds with three or more carbon atoms (C 3+ compounds).
43 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising directing ethane from said product stream to said OCM reactor.
44 . The method of claim 22 , further comprising, prior to directing said product stream into said separations unit, compressing said product stream.
45 . A method for generating compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C 2+ compounds), comprising:
(a) directing water into an electrolysis unit that electrolyzes said water to yield oxygen (O 2 ) and hydrogen (H 2 );
(b) directing said O 2 from said electrolysis unit and methane (CH 4 ) into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that reacts said O 2 and CH 4 in an OCM process to yield a product stream comprising (i) C 2+ compounds, including ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and (ii) carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO 2 );
(c) directing at least a portion of said CO and/or CO 2 from said product stream and said H 2 from said electrolysis unit into a methanation reactor that reacts said H 2 and said CO and/or CO 2 to yield CH 4 ; and
(d) directing at least a portion of said CH 4 from said methanation reactor to said OCM reactor.
46 .- 48 . (canceled)
49 . A method for generating compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C 2+ compounds), comprising:
(a) directing oxygen (O 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that reacts said O 2 and CH 4 in an OCM process to yield a product stream comprising (i) C 2+ compounds including ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and (ii) carbon dioxide (CO 2 );
(b) directing said product stream from said OCM reactor into a separations system that employs a CO 2 separation unit that separates said CO 2 from said product stream to enrich said C 2+ compounds in said product stream; and
(c) directing at least a portion of said CO 2 separated in (b) to said OCM reactor.
50 . (canceled)
51 . A method for generating compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C 2+ compounds), comprising:
(a) directing oxygen (O 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that reacts said O 2 and CH 4 in an OCM process to yield a product stream comprising C 2+ compounds including ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and heat;
(b) using an evaporator to transfer at least a portion of said heat from said product stream to an organic working fluid in a closed fluid flow cycle as part of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system, to evaporate said organic working fluid, which closed fluid flow cycle includes said evaporator, a turbine, a condenser, and a pump;
(c) directing said organic working fluid evaporated in (b) to said turbine to generate power;
(d) directing said organic working fluid from said turbine to said condenser that condenses said organic working fluid; and
(e) directing said organic working fluid condensed in (d) to said pump.
52 . (canceled)
53 . (canceled)
54 . A method for generating compounds with two or more carbon atoms (C 2+ compounds), comprising:
(a) directing oxygen (O 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that reacts said O 2 and CH 4 in an OCM process to yield a product stream comprising (i) C 2+ compounds including ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) and heat;
(b) transferring at least a portion of said heat from said product stream to a thermoelectric power generator; and
(c) with the aid of said heat, using said thermoelectric power generator to generate power.
55 . (canceled)
56 . (canceled)