US2005288541A1PendingUtilityA1

Gas to liquid conversion process

35
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 19, 2002Filed: Dec 2, 2004Published: Dec 29, 2005
Est. expiryMar 19, 2022(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Steven Sherwood
C07C 2/76
35
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A process is disclosed for the conversion of lower molecular weight hydrocarbons, such as methane, into higher molecular weight hydrocarbon products, such as hydrocarbons having between 4 and 29 carbons. The process includes forming hydrated electrons, such as by mixing the lower molecular weight hydrocarbons with water and contacting the mixture with an energy source to form hydrated electrons. The hydrated electrons react with the methane to form hydrogen and higher molecular weight hydrocarbon products. Also disclosed is a related process for converting higher molecular weight hydrocarbons to lower molecular weight hydrocarbons by forming a mixture of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons and water and contacting the mixture with an energy source to form hydrated electrons that react with the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons to form hydrogen and lower molecular weight hydrocarbon products.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A process of converting methane to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, comprising: 
 a. forming hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals; and,    b. contacting the hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals with methane in the presence of static electricity, wherein the hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals react with the methane to form hydrogen and higher molecular weight hydrocarbon products.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the methane is a gas and the higher molecular weight products are a liquid.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the higher molecular weight hydrocarbon products comprise hydrocarbons having between 4 and 29 carbons.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the higher molecular weight hydrocarbon products comprise hydrocarbons having between 9 and 14 carbons.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the process is conducted in the absence of a molecular oxidant.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the process is conducted in the presence of a molecular oxidant and wherein the higher molecular weight hydrocarbons are oxygenated.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the process is conducted in a reducing atmosphere.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals are formed by contacting hydrated electrons with water.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the hydrated electrons are present in a spur comprising hydrated electrons (e aq   − ), H +  and OH − .  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the water has a temperature in the range of about 100° C. to about 300° C.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 8 , wherein the water has a temperature in the range of about 150° C. to about 200° C.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting step comprises contacting the hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals with methane in the presence of water.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the water is present as water vapor.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the methane and water mixture is maintained at a pressure in the range of about 50 psig to about 300 psig.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the methane and water mixture is maintained at a pressure in the range of about 100 psig to about 250 psig.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the methane and water are present in a ratio of between about 1:5 to about 5:1.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the methane and water are present in a ratio of about 1:1.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the static electricity is produced by contacting TEFLON™ and PYREX™ materials in the presence of the methane.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting step comprises contacting the hydrogen and hydroxyl radicals with methane in the presence of a metal oxide.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of NiO, CoO and Fe 2 O 3 .

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