Integrated oxidative dehydrogenation/carbon filament production process and reactor therefor

Abstract

The present invention includes an integrated process for the production of carbon filaments, comprising converting a portion of hydrocarbons to alkenes via oxidative dehydrogenation and further converting a portion of the alkenes to carbon filaments via contact with a metal catalyst. A portion of unconverted hydrocarbons remaining after oxidative dehydrogenation may also be further converted to carbon filaments via contact with the metal catalyst. The conversion of hydrocarbons to alkenes via oxidative dehydrogenation and further conversion of the alkenes and unconverted hydrocarbons to carbon filaments via contact with a metal catalyst may be carried out in the same or separate reactor vessels. A plurality of reactor vessels arranged in parallel may be used for the conversion of the alkenes and unconverted hydrocarbons to carbon filaments.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An integrated process for the production of carbon filaments, comprising converting a portion of hydrocarbons to alkenes via oxidative dehydrogenation and further converting a portion of the alkenes to carbon filaments via contact with a metal catalyst.  
     
     
         2 . The integrated process of  claim 1  further comprising converting a portion of unconverted hydrocarbons remaining after oxidative dehydrogenation to carbon filaments via contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         3 . The integrated process of  claim 2  wherein the hydrocarbons comprise greater than about 50% light alkanes.  
     
     
         4 . The integrated process of  claim 3  wherein the hydrocarbons consist essentially of light alkanes.  
     
     
         5 . The integrated process of  claim 1  wherein the conversion of a portion of the hydrocarbons to alkenes via oxidative dehydrogenation and further conversion of a portion of the alkenes to carbon filaments via contact with a metal catalyst are carried out in the same reactor vessel.  
     
     
         6 . The integrated process of  claim 5  further comprising converting an unconverted portion of hydrocarbons remaining after oxidative dehydrogenation to carbon filaments via contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         7 . The integrated process of  claim 1  wherein the conversion of a portion of the hydrocarbons to alkenes via oxidative dehydrogenation is carried out in a first reactor vessel and the further conversion of a portion of the alkenes to carbon filaments via contact with a metal catalyst is carried out in a second reactor vessel.  
     
     
         8 . The integrated process of  claim 7  further comprising converting an unconverted portion of hydrocarbons remaining after oxidative dehydrogenation to carbon filaments via contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         9 . The integrated process of  claim 7  wherein the further conversion of a portion of the alkenes to carbon filaments via contact with a metal catalyst is carried out in a plurality of reactor vessels arranged in parallel.  
     
     
         10 . The integrated process of  claim 8  wherein the further conversion of a portion of the alkenes and a portion of hydrocarbons remaining after oxidative dehydrogenation to carbon filaments via contact with a metal catalyst is carried out in a plurality of reactor vessels arranged in parallel.  
     
     
         11 . The integrated process of  claim 1  wherein hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced during the oxidative dehydrogenation of the hydrocarbons are recovered.  
     
     
         12 . The integrated process of  claim 2  wherein hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced during the oxidative dehydrogenation of the hydrocarbons are recovered.  
     
     
         13 . The integrated process of  claim 5  wherein hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced during the oxidative dehydrogenation of the hydrocarbons are recovered.  
     
     
         14 . The integrated process of  claim 7  wherein hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced during the oxidative dehydrogenation of the hydrocarbons are recovered.  
     
     
         15 . The integrated process of  claim 9  wherein hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced during the oxidative dehydrogenation of the hydrocarbons are recovered.  
     
     
         16 . The integrated process of  claim 1  wherein unconverted hydrocarbons remaining after the oxidative dehydrogenation are recycled and subjected to further oxidative dehydrogenation.  
     
     
         17 . The integrated process of  claim 2  wherein unconverted hydrocarbons remaining after the oxidative dehydrogenation are recycled and subjected to further oxidative dehydrogenation.  
     
     
         18 . The integrated process of  claim 5  wherein unconverted hydrocarbons remaining after the oxidative dehydrogenation are recycled and subjected to further oxidative dehydrogenation.  
     
     
         19 . The integrated process of  claim 7  wherein unconverted hydrocarbons remaining after the oxidative dehydrogenation are recycled and subjected to further oxidative dehydrogenation.  
     
     
         20 . The integrated process of  claim 9  wherein unconverted hydrocarbons remaining after the oxidative dehydrogenation are recycled and subjected to further oxidative dehydrogenation.  
     
     
         21 . The integrated process of  claim 1  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         22 . The integrated process of  claim 2  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         23 . The integrated process of  claim 5  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         24 . The integrated process of  claim 7  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         25 . The integrated process of  claim 9  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         26 . The integrated process of  claim 16  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         27 . The integrated process of  claim 17  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         28 . The integrated process of  claim 18  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         29 . The integrated process of  claim 19  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         30 . The integrated process of  claim 20  wherein unconverted alkenes, unconverted hydrocarbons, or both remaining after the contact with the metal catalyst are recycled and subjected to further contact with the metal catalyst.  
     
     
         31 . The integrated process of  claim 1  further comprising graphitizing the carbon filaments.  
     
     
         32 . A reactor for the conversion of hydrocarbons to carbon filaments, comprising a reactor vessel having an oxidative dehydrogenation reaction zone and carbon filament reaction zone downstream thereof.  
     
     
         33 . The reactor of  claim 32  wherein the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction zone further comprises a bed of oxidative dehydrogenation catalysts and the carbon filament reaction zone further comprises a metal catalyst.  
     
     
         34 . An integrated process unit for the conversion of hydrocarbons to carbon filaments, comprising an oxidative dehydrogenation reactor wherein a portion of the hydrocarbons is converted to alkenes and a carbon filament reactor wherein a portion of alkenes from the oxidative dehydrogenation reactor is converted to carbon filaments.  
     
     
         35 . The integrated process unit of  claim 34  wherein a portion of hydrocarbons remaining unconverted after oxidative dehydrogenation is converted to carbon filaments via contact with the metal catalyst.