Methane Conversion

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to synthesis of hydrocarbons from a methane source. A particular application of this invention is a method for converting natural gas to a more readily transportable material.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A major source of methane is natural gas. Other sources of methane have been considered for fuel supply, e.g., the methane present in coal deposits or formed during mining operations. Relatively small amounts of methane are also produced in various petroleum processes.

The composition of natural gas at the wellhead varies but the major hydrocarbon present is methane. For example, the methane content of natural gas may vary within the range from about 40 to about 95 volume percent. Other constituents of natural gas include ethane, propane, butanes, pentane (and heavier hydrocarbons), hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, helium and nitrogen.

Natural gas is classified as dry or wet depending upon the amount of condensable hydrocarbons contained in it. Condensable hydrocarbons generally comprise C.sub.3 + hydrocarbons although some ethane may be included. Gas conditioning is required to alter the composition of wellhead gas, processing facilities usually being located in or near the production fields. Conventional processing of wellhead natural gas yields processed natural gas containing at least a major amount of methane.

Large-scale use of natural gas often requires a sophisticated and extensive pipeline system. Liquefaction has also been employed as a transportation means, but processes for liquefying, transporting, and revaporizing natural gas are complex, energy-intensive and require extensive safety precautions. Transport of natural gas has been a continuing problem in the exploitation of natural gas resources. It would be extremely valuable to be able to convert methane (e.g., natural gas) to more readily handleable or transportable products. Moreover, direct conversion to olefins such as ethylene or propylene would be extremely valuable to the chemical industry.

Recently, it has been discovered that methane may be converted to higher hydrocarbons by a process which comprises contacting methane and an oxidative synthesizing agent at synthesizing conditions (e.g., at a temperature selected within the range from about 500.degree. to about 1000.degree. C.). Oxidative synthesizing agents are compositions having as a principal component at least one oxide of at least one metal which compositions produce C.sub.2 + hydrocarbon products, co-product water, and a composition comprising a reduced metal oxide when contacted with methane at synthesizing conditions. Reducible oxides of several metals have been identified which are capable of converting methane to higher hydrocarbons. In particular, oxides of manganese, tin, indium, germanium, lead, antimony and bismuth are most useful. See commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,443,649; 4,444,984; 4,443,648; 4,443,645; 4,443,647; 4,443,644; and 4,443,646.

Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 522,935, filed Aug. 12, 1983, discloses and claims a process which comprises contacting methane with an oxidative synthesizing agent under elevated pressure (e.g., 2-100 atmospheres) to produce greater amounts of C.sub.3 +hydrocarbon products. The entire content of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 522,938, filed Aug. 12, 1983, discloses and claims a process for the conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons which comprises contacting methane with particles comprising an oxidative synthesizing agent which particles continuously recirculate between two physically separate zones--a methane contact zone and an oxygen contact zone. The entire content of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 522,937, filed Aug. 12, 1983, discloses and claims a process for the conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons which comprises contacting methane with an oxidative synthesizing agent containing a promoting amount of alkali metal and/or compounds thereof. The entire content of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

Commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 522,936, filed Aug. 12, 1983, discloses and claims a process for the conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons which comprises contacting methane with an oxidative synthesizing agent containing a promoting amount of alkaline earth metal and/or compounds thereof. The entire content of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

It has now been found that methane may be converted to higher hydrocarbon products by contacting a methane-containing gas with a solid comprising: (1) a reducible oxide of ruthenium and (2) at least one member of the group consisting of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and compounds thereof. Alkali metals are selected from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs. Alkaline earth metals are selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba.

Methane is desirably contacted with the solid at a temperature within the range of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. The atomic ratio of iron to alkali metal or alkaline earth metal is desirably within the range of about 500:1. Hydrocarbons produced by the process may include lower alkanes, lower olefins and aromatics. The iron oxide is reduced by contact with methane and is reoxidizable by contact with an oxygen-containing gas.

Contacting methane with oxides of Ru in the absence of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal produces predominantly combustion products (CO.sub.x) from methane. However, it has been found that incorporating an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal into the contact solid substantially reduces the formation of combustion products and improves higher hydrocarbon product selectivity. It has further been found that bulk ruthenium oxides promoted with sodium give much improved activities and C.sub.2 + selectivities for methane conversion compared to supported ruthenium oxides promoted with sodium.

Reducible oxides of Ru can be supplied from a variety of known sources. The term "reducible" is used to identify those oxides which are reduced by contact with methane at temperatures within the range of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. Preferred oxide is ruthenium dioxide.

The contact solid employed in the present process contains, in addition to a reducible oxide of Ru, at least one alkali metal or alkaline earth metal. Alkali metals are preferred. Sodium is particularly preferred. The amount of alkali/alkaline earth metal incorporated into the contact solid is not narrowly critical. The preferred atomic ratio of the reducible ruthenium oxide component (expressed as the metal, Ru) to the alkali/alkaline earth metal component (expressed as the metal, e.g., Na) is within the range of about 1-500:1, more preferably within the range of about 2-100:1, still more preferably within the range of about 2-10:1.

The contact solid may also contain other components heretofore referred to as oxidative synthesizing agents. Oxidative synthesizing agents generally comprise at least one oxide of at least one metal, which oxides when contacted with methane at synthesizing conditions (e.g., at a temperature selected within the range of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C.) produce higher hydrocarbon products, co-product water, and a reduced metal oxide. The composition thus contains at least one reducible oxide of at least one metal. The term "reducible" is used to identify those oxides of metals which are reduced by contacting methane at synthesizing conditions (e.g., at temperatures selected within the range of about 500.degree.-1000.degree. C.). The term "oxide(s) of metal(s)" includes: (1) one or more metal oxides (i.e., compounds described by the general formula M.sub.x O.sub.y wherein M is a metal and the subscripts .sub.x and .sub.Y designate the relative atomic proportions of metal and oxygen in the composition) and/or (2) one or more oxygen-containing metal compounds, provided that such oxides and compounds have the capability of performing to produce higher hydrocarbon products as set forth herein.

Oxidative synthesizing agents have previously been found to comprise reducible oxides of metals selected from the group consisting of Mn, Sn, In, Ge, Sb, Pb, and Bi and mixtures thereof. Particularly effective oxidative synthesizing agents have been found to comprise a reducible oxide of manganese and mixtures of a reducible oxide of manganese with other oxidative synthesizing agents.

It is within the scope of the present invention to include other effective oxidative synthesizing agent components with the combined ruthenium oxide/alkali-alkaline earth metal system of the present invention. Thus, the ruthenium oxide/alkali-alkaline earth metal system may also contain a reducible oxide selected from the group consisting of Mn, Sn, In, Ge, Sb, Pb, Bi and mixtures thereof.

It is also within the scope of the present invention to include at least one phosphorus component in the solid contacted with methane.

While the exact composition of the contact solids is more complex, the solids employed in the process of this invention may be described by the following empirical expression:

wherein B is selected from the group consisting of alkali and alkaline earth metals; C is selected from the group consisting of Mn, Sn, In, Ge, Pb, Sb, Bi and mixtures thereof; a, b, c, d and e indicate the atomic ratio of each component; and when a is 10, b is within the range of about 0.5-10, c is within the range of about 0-10, d is within the range of about 0-10, and e has a value which is determined by the valences and proportions of the other elements present.

These components may be associated with other support materials. However, in a presently preferred embodiment, a reducible oxide of Ru is employed as a support for the other components of the solids. While use of other supports is within the scope of this invention, it has been found that the use of bulk ruthenium oxides give superior results.

Accordingly, a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises contacting methane at a temperature within the range of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C with a solid comprising a member of the group consisting of alkali metals and compounds thereof associated with a support comprising a reducible oxide of Ru. Preferably, the reducible oxide of Ru comprises ruthenium dioxide. Still more particularly, the presently preferred alkali metal associated with these supports is Na.

The contact solids employed in this invention can be prepared by any suitable method. Conventional methods such as precipitation, co-precipitation, impregnation, or dry-mixing can be used. Supported solids may be prepared by methods such as adsorption, impregnation, precipitation, co-precipitation, and dry-mixing. When phosphorus is incorporated in the agent, it is desirable to provide it in the form of a phosphate of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. Substantially any compound of these elements can be employed in the preparation of the promoted synthesizing agent.

A suitable method of preparation is to impregnate a support with solutions of compounds of the desired metals. Suitable compounds useful for impregnation include the acetates, acetylacetonates, oxides, carbides, carbonates, hydroxides, formates, oxalates, nitrates, phosphates, sulfates, sulfides, tartrates, fluorides, chlorides, bromides, or iodides. After impregnation the preparation is dried to remove solvent and the dried solid is prepared for use by calcining, preferably in air at a temperature selected within the range of about 300.degree. to 1200.degree. C. Particular calcination temperatures will vary depending upon the particular metal compound or compounds employed.

If phosphorus is used, the alkali/alkaline earth metal and phosphorus are preferably added to the composition as compounds containing both P and alkali/alkaline earth metals. Examples are the orthophosphates, metaphosphates, and pyrophosphates of alkali/alkaline earth metals. Pyrophosphates have been found to give desirable results. Sodium pyrophosphate is particularly preferred.

Regardless of how the components of the contact solid are combined, the resulting composite generally will be dried and calcined at elevated temperatures.

The present process is distinguished from previously suggested methane conversion processes which rely primarily on interactions between methane and at least one of nickel and the noble metals, such as rhodium, palladium, silver, osmium, iridium, platinum and gold. An example of this type of process is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,194. The present process does not require that methane be contacted with one or more of nickel and such noble metals and compounds thereof.

Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, such contacting is carried out in the substantial absence of catalytically effective nickel and the noble metals and compounds thereof to minimize the deleterious catalytic effects of such metals and compounds thereof. For example, at the conditions, e.g., temperatures, useful for the contacting step of the present invention, these metals when contacted with methane tend to promote coke formation, and the metal oxides when contacted with methane tend to promote formation of combustion products (CO.sub.x) rather than the desired hydrocarbons. The term "catalytically effective" is used herein to identify that quantity of one or more of nickel and the noble metals and compounds thereof which when present substantially changes the distribution of products obtained in the contacting step of this invention relative to such contacting in the absence of such metals and compounds thereof.

In addition to methane, the feedstock employed in the method of this invention may contain other hydrocarbon or non-hydrocarbon components, although the methane content should typically be within the range of about 40 to 100 volume percent, preferably from about 80 to 100 volume percent, more preferably from about 90 to 100 volume percent.

Operating temperatures for the contacting of methane-containing gas and the ruthenium/alkali-alkaline earth metal solid are generally within the range of about 500.degree. to 1000.degree. C. If reducible oxides of metals such as In, Ge or Bi are present in the solid, the particular temperature selected may depend, in part, on the particular reducible metal oxide(s) employed. Thus, reducible oxides of certain metals may require operating temperatures below the upper part of the recited range to minimize sublimation or volatilization of the metals (or compounds thereof) during methane contact. Examples are: (1) reducible oxides of indium, (operating temperatures will preferably not exceed about 850.degree. C.); (2) reducible oxides of germanium (operating temperatures will preferably not exceed about 850.degree. C.); and (3) reducible oxides of bismuth (operating temperatures will preferably not exceed about 850.degree. C.).

Operating pressures for the methane contacting step are not critical to the presently claimed invention. However, both general system pressure and partial pressure of methane have been found to effect overall results. Preferred operating pressures are within the range of about 1 to 100 atmospheres, more preferably within the range of about 1 to 30 atmospheres.

Contacting methane and the solid comprising a ruthenium oxide/alkali-alkaline earth metal composite to form higher hydrocarbons from methane also produces a reduced metal oxide and co-product water. The exact nature of the reduced metal oxides are unknown, and so are referred to herein as "reduced metal oxides". Regeneration of a reducible metal oxide is readily accomplished by contacting such reduced materials with oxygen (e.g., an oxygen-containing gas such as air) at elevated temperatures, preferably at a temperature selected within the range of about 300 .degree. to 1200.degree. C., the particular temperature selected depending on the metal(s) included in the solid.

In carrying out the present process, a single reactor apparatus containing a fixed bed of solids may be used with intermittent or pulsed flow of a first gas comprising methane and a second gas comprising oxygen (e.g., oxygen, oxygen diluted with an inert gas, or air, preferably air). The methane contacting step and the oxygen contacting step may also be performed in physically separate zones with solids recirculating between the two zones.

Thus, a suitable method for synthesizing hydrocarbons from a methane source comprises: (a) contacting a gas comprising methane and particles comprising a reducible Ru oxide/alkali-alkaline earth metal composite to form higher hydrocarbon products, co-product water, and reduced metal oxide; (b) removing particles comprising reduced metal oxide from the first zone and contacting the reduced particles in a second zone with an oxygen-containing gas to form particles comprising a reducible Ru oxide/alkali-alkaline earth metal composite; and (c) returning the particles produced in the second zone to the first zone. The steps are preferably repeated at least periodically, and more preferably the steps are continuous. In the more preferred embodiment solids are continuously circulated between at least one methane-contact zone and at least one oxygen-contact zone.

Particles comprising a reducible Ru oxide/alkali alkaline earth metal composite which are contacted with methane may be maintained as fluidized, ebullating, or entrained beds of solids. Preferably methane is contacted with a fluidized bed of solids.

Similarly, particles comprising reduced metal oxide which are contacted with oxygen may be maintained as fluidized, ebullating or entrained beds of solids. Preferably oxygen is contacted with a fluidized bed of solids.

In one more preferred embodiment of the present invention, methane feedstock and particles comprising a promoted oxidative synthesizing agent are continuously introduced into a methane contact zone maintained at synthesizing conditions. Synthesizing conditions include the temperatures and pressures described above. Gaseous reaction products from the methane contact zone (separated from entrained solids) are further processed--e.g., they are passed through a fractionating system wherein the desired hydrocarbon products are separated from unconverted methane and combustion products. Unconverted methane may be recovered and recycled to the methane contact zone.

Particles comprising reduced metal oxide are contacted with oxygen in an oxygen contact zone for a time sufficient to oxidize at least a portion of the reduced oxide to produce a reducible metal oxide and to remove, i.e., combust, at least a portion of any carbonaceous deposit which may form on the particles in the methane contact zone. The conditions of the oxygen contact zone will preferably include a temperature selected within the range of about 300.degree. to 1200.degree. C., pressures of up to about 30 atmospheres, and average particle contact time within the range of about 1 to 120 minutes. Sufficient oxygen is preferably provided to oxidize all reduced metal oxide to produce a reducible oxide and to completely combust any carbonaceous deposit material deposited on the particles. At least a portion of the particles comprising promoted oxidative synthesizing agent which are produced in the oxygen contact zone are returned to the methane contact zone.

The rate of solids withdrawal from the methane contact zone is desirably balanced with the rate of solids passing from the oxygen contact zone to the methane contact zone so as to maintain a substantially constant inventory of particles in the methane contact zone, thereby enabling steady state operation of the synthesizing system.

In one alternative process employing the method of this invention, a gas comprising oxygen may be co-fed with a hydrocarbon gas comprising methane to the methane contact zone. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 600,656, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

In a further alternative process employing the method of this invention, the olefin content of the effluent produced by methane conversion as described herein may be oligomerized to produce normally liquid higher hydrocarbon products. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 600,657, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

In a still further alternative process employing the method of this invention, it has been found advantageous to recover C.sub.2 + alkanes from (1) the effluent produced by methane conversion as described herein and/or (2) streams derived from such effluent and to recycle such alkanes to the methane contact zone. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 600,878, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

In a still further alternative process employing the method of this invention, it has been found that halogen promoters enhance results obtained when methane is converted to higher hydrocarbons by contact with a reducible metal oxide. See U.S. patent application Ser. No. 600,668, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Also see U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 600,659 (chalcogen promoters) and 600,658 (NO.sub.x promoters), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.