Processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture and method and system for making the same

Abstract

A processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture including acetylene and butenyne is disclosed. The processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture can include acetylene, butenyne, and (a) at least 5% of an inert gas other than nitrogen, (b) greater than 30% nitrogen, or (c) both. A method of mixing the inert gas, nitrogen, or both and a unprocessed hydrocarbon-containing mixture is also disclosed. The method can include the use of flow controllers to adjust mixing ratio of the gasses. The compositions can exhibit tailored thermal output above 500 BTU/ft 3 . The compositions can exhibit tailored thermal output below 1,100 BTU/ft 3 . The processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture can exhibit a similar thermal output as natural gas with less CO2 emissions per normalized thermal output unit.

1 . A hydrocarbon-containing mixture, comprising acetylene, butenyne, and (a) at least 5% of an inert gas other than nitrogen, (b) greater than 30% nitrogen, or (c) both. 
     
     
         2 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon-containing mixture comprises:
 5% to 44.725% acetylene,   5% to 44.725% butenyne,   at least 0.125% dimethyl butadiyne, and   (a) at least 5% of an inert gas other than nitrogen, (b) greater than 30% nitrogen, or (c) both.   
     
     
         3 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 2 , wherein the amount of nitrogen present is greater than 50%. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the inert gas is selected from the group consisting of: nitrogen, carbon dioxide, helium, argon, krypton, neon, dichlorodifluoromethane, tetrafluoromethane, chlorotrifluoro ethane, chlorodifluoromethane, sulfur hexafluoride, hexafluoroethane, perfluoropentane, perfluoromethylcyclohexane, perfluoro-1,3-dimethylcyclohexane, perfluoromethyldecalin, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the mixture is stable at a pressure of 25 psig for more than 1 day. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , comprising at least 10% butenyne. 
     
     
         7 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of inert gas to acetylene ranges from 1:1 and 85:1. 
     
     
         8 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon-containing mixture is anhydrous. 
     
     
         9 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein an energy content of said hydrocarbon-containing mixture is at least 500 BTU/ft 3  at standard temperature and pressure. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein an energy content of said hydrocarbon-containing mixture is less than 1,100 BTU/ft 3  at standard temperature and pressure. 
     
     
         11 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon-containing mixture is in liquid form. 
     
     
         12 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least 1% divinyl sulfide. 
     
     
         13 . The hydrocarbon-containing mixture according to  claim 1 , wherein the emission factor of the hydrocarbon-containing mixture is at least 15% less than that of natural gas. 
     
     
         14 . A method for producing the composition of  claim 1 , comprising:
 providing a feed stream comprising a unprocessed hydrocarbon-containing mixture; and   mixing said feed stream with a stream comprising (a) at least 5% of an inert gas other than nitrogen, (b) greater than 30% nitrogen, or (c) both, to produce a processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture comprising acetylene and butenyne and a gas selected from the group of inert gas or nitrogen, wherein said processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture further comprises (i) dimethyl butadiyne, (ii) at least 5% butenyne, or (iii) both.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said mixing comprises a nitrogen feed stream produced by a nitrogen generator. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said nitrogen generator comprises a gas separating material. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said gas separating material comprises gas fiber membranes, carbon molecular sieves, activated carbon, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said mixing is controlled by gas-flow controllers on both the nitrogen stream and on the unprocessed hydrocarbon-containing mixture stream. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the gas-flow controllers are controlled by a computer. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said unprocessed hydrocarbon-containing mixture stream is in fluid communication with said inert gas stream at a single or more junction points to produce the processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture stream. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture produced therefrom comprises (a) at least 5% of an inert gas other than nitrogen, (b) greater than 30% nitrogen, or (c) both. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein said processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture produced therefrom comprises (a) at least 5% of an inert gas other than nitrogen, (b) greater than 50% nitrogen, or (c) both. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture is anhydrous. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 14 , where the processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture is stored in a separate container not in fluidic communication in one direction with the processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture stream. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 14 , where the processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture is stored in a separate container which is in fluidic communication with the processed hydrocarbon-containing mixture stream.