Method using carbon monoxide resistant membrane to control H2/CO ratio of synthesis gas feed to fischer-tropsch unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10272381-B2
Application number	US-201615558720-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2016
Priority date	Mar 18, 2015
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

An integrated process for making high molecular weight hydrocarbons from a synthesis gas feed to a Fischer-Tropsch unit. A carbon monoxide resistant gold-on-palladium membrane system (membrane system) is used to control the hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio of a feed to the Fischer-Tropsch unit. The membrane system is operatively connected between a steam reformer and the Fischer-Tropsch unit. The membrane system receives a synthesis gas stream and provides for the removal of hydrogen from the synthesis gas stream to provide a retentate stream having a desired H2/CO molar ratio that is fed to the Fischer-Tropsch unit.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A process for converting gaseous hydrocarbons to higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, wherein said process comprises:
providing a carbon monoxide resistant gold-on-palladium supported gas separation membrane system, comprising a porous support having deposited thereon a gold-on-palladium membrane, comprising a gold layer on a palladium layer and that is operatively connected between a steam reforming unit and a Fischer-Tropsch unit;
passing at least a portion of a synthesis gas stream yielded from said steam reforming unit and having a synthesis gas stream hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio in the range of from 1:1 to 10:1 as a membrane system feed to said carbon monoxide resistant gold-on-palladium supported gas separation membrane system;
yielding from carbon monoxide resistant gold-on-palladium supported gas separation membrane system a permeate stream, comprising hydrogen, and a retentate stream, having a retentate stream hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide ratio;
passing said retentate stream as a Fischer-Tropsch unit feed to said Fischer-Tropsch unit; and
yielding from said Fischer-Tropsch unit a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis product.

2. The process as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
combining a remaining portion of said synthesis gas stream with said retentate stream in an amount so as to provide said Fischer-Tropsch unit feed having a desired hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio.

3. The process as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
combining a portion of said permeate stream with said retentate stream in an amount so as to provide said Fischer-Tropsch unit feed having a desired hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio.

4. The process as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
controlling a pressure differential across said gold-on-palladium membrane so as to provide said retentate stream having a desired retentate stream hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio.

5. The process as recited in claim 4 , wherein said synthesis gas stream comprises hydrogen at a concentration in the range of from 30 to 70 vol. % and having a hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio is in the range of from 1.5:1 to 10:1, and wherein said permeate stream comprises from 1 vol. % to 20 vol. % of the hydrogen contained in said at least a portion of said synthesis gas stream.

6. The process as recited in claim 5 , wherein said retentate stream hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio is less than said synthesis gas stream hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio and is in the range of from 1.4:1 to 2.3:1.

7. The process as recited in claim 6 , wherein said desired retentate stream hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio is in the range of from 1.5:1 to 2.2:1.

8. The process as recited in claim 2 , wherein said synthesis gas stream comprises hydrogen at a concentration in the range of from 30 to 70 vol. % and having a hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio is in the range of from 1.5:1 to 10:1, and wherein said permeate stream comprises from 1 vol. % to 20 vol. % of the hydrogen contained in said at least a portion of said synthesis gas stream.

9. The process as recited in claim 8 , wherein said desired hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio is in the range of from 1.5:1 to 2.2:1.

10. The process A process as recited in claim 3 , wherein said synthesis gas stream comprises hydrogen at a concentration in the range of from 30 to 70 vol. % and having a hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio is in the range of from 1.5:1 to 10:1, and wherein said permeate stream comprises from 1 vol. % to 20 vol. % of the hydrogen contained in said at least a portion of said synthesis gas stream.

11. The process as recited in claim 10 , wherein said desired hydrogen-to-carbon monoxide molar ratio is in the range of from 1.5:1 to 2.2:1.

12. The process as recited in claim 11 , further comprising: passing said Fischer-Tropsch product to a separation system for separating said Fischer-Tropsch product into hydrocarbon fractions.

Assignees

• Shell Oil Co

Inventors

• Saukaitis John Charles
• Azad Kamal

Classifications

• C10G2/32

  with the use of catalysts · CPC title

• C07C1/04

  from carbon monoxide with hydrogen · CPC title

• C01B3/505

  Membranes containing palladium · CPC title

• B01D53/228 Primary

  characterised by specific membranes · CPC title

• Y02P20/125

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic