Production of synthesis gas from natural gas with copper—iron—manganese oxide oxygen carriers/catalysts via partial oxidation and dry reforming processes

1. A method for partial oxidation of methane to produce synthesis gas comprising:

delivering a trimetallic oxygen carrier to a fuel reactor, where the trimetallic oxygen carrier comprising Cu x Fe y Mn z O t where 0<x≤3 and 0<y≤3 and 0<z≤3 and, 0<t≤5;

delivering a gaseous stream that contain methane to the trimetallic oxygen carrier in the fuel reactor and maintaining the fuel reactor at a reducing temperature, where the reducing temperature is sufficient to reduce some portion of the trimetallic oxygen carrier forming a reduced trimetallic oxygen carrier and partially oxidize some portion of the methane containing gas stream, and generating gaseous products containing H 2 and CO gas in the fuel reactor;

withdrawing a product stream from the fuel reactor, where the gaseous products comprise the product stream, and where at least >50 vol. % of the product stream consists of CO and H 2 ,

oxidizing the reduced trimetallic oxygen carrier fully or partially by contacting the reduced carrier and an oxidizing gas at an oxidizing temperature, where the oxidizing gas is comprised of oxygen, and where the oxidizing temperature is sufficient to generate an oxidizing reaction, where the reactants of the oxidizing reaction comprise some portion of the oxygen, some portion of the oxygen depleted form of Cu x Fe y Mn z O t , and reduced forms of single or bimetallic components of Fe, Mn or Cu, and where the product of the oxidizing reaction is a re-oxidized carrier comprising some portion of the Cu x Fe y Mn z O t or partially oxidized form of Cu x Fe y Mn z O t and

delivering heat generated from the oxidizing reactor to the fuel reactor for the reaction of trimetallic Cu x Fe y Mn z O t with methane.

2. The method of claim 1 where the reducing temperature ranges from about 700° C. to about 1100° C.

3. The method of claim 1 where the Cu x Fe y Mn z O t is initially reduced by a fuel forming a partially reduced form that reacts with methane to form synthesis gas.

4. The method of claim 1 where the oxygen carrier comprises at least 30 wt. % of the trimetallic Cu x Fe y Mn z O t oxide.

5. The method of claim 1 where the trimetallic oxygen carrier is selected from the group consisting of CuMnFeO 4 , CuFe 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 , CuFeMn 2 O 4 , CuFe 2 MnO 4 or Cu impregnated on Fe r Mn s O u , Fe impregnated on Cu r Mn s O u , Mn impregnated on Cu r Fe s O u , where r>0, s>0 and u>0 and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 where the trimetallic oxygen carrier further comprises a support, where the support comprises from about 5 wt. % to about 60 wt. % of the trimetallic oxygen carrier.

7. The method of claim 6 where the support may contain alumina, silica, zirconia, clay, titania, MgO, CaO, monoliths and combinations there of.

8. The method of claim 1 where the methane concentration may be greater than 5 vol. %.

9. The method of claim 1 where mixing the methane containing gas stream and the trimetallic oxygen carrier in the fuel reactor step generates a reduced carrier, where the reduced carrier comprises the oxygen depleted form selected from the group consisting of Cu x Fe y Mn z O t , FeO, Fe 3 O 4 , Cu 0 , Cu 2 O, Mn 0 , MnO, and Mn 3 O 4 components.

10. The method of claim 1 where oxidization of the reduced Cu x Fe y Mn z O t carrier occurs in an oxidizing reactor, and further comprising:

transferring the reduced carrier from the fuel reactor to the oxidizing reactor;

supplying the oxidizing gas to the oxidizing reactor, thereby generating the re-oxidized carrier;

transferring the re-oxidized carrier from the oxidizing reactor to the fuel reactor; and

repeating delivery of the trimetallic Cu x Fe y Mn z O t oxygen carrier to the fuel reactor, introducing methane to the trimetallic Cu x Fe y Mn z O t oxygen carrier in the fuel reactor, and the withdrawing the product stream from the fuel reactor.

11. The method of claim 10 where the oxidizing temperature ranges from about 700° C. to about 1100° C.