Oxidative coupling of methane methods and systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018179125-A1
Application number	US-201715690090-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 29, 2017
Priority date	Mar 17, 2015
Publication date	Jun 28, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure provides natural gas and petrochemical processing systems including oxidative coupling of methane reactor systems that integrate process inputs and outputs to cooperatively utilize different inputs and outputs of the various systems in the production of higher hydrocarbons from natural gas and other hydrocarbon feedstocks.

First claim

1 .- 252 . (canceled)

253 . A method for producing methanol (MeOH) and hydrocarbon compounds containing at least two carbon atoms (C 2+ compounds), comprising:
(a) directing methane (CH 4 ) and oxygen (O 2 ) into an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor to produce a product stream comprising the C 2+ compounds, carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and un-reacted CH 4 ;
(b) generating an effluent stream comprising the CO and/or CO 2 from the product stream, wherein a concertation of the CO and/or CO 2 in the effluent stream is greater than a concentration of CO and/or CO 2 in the product stream; and
(c) directing the effluent stream to an MeOH reactor to produce MeOH.

254 . The method of claim 253 , further comprising generating a CH 4 stream comprising the un-reacted CH 4 from the product stream, wherein a concentration of the un-reacted CH 4 in the CH 4 stream is greater than a concentration of the un-reacted CH 4 in the product stream.

255 . The method of claim 254 , further comprising directing at least a portion of the CH 4 stream to a steam methane reformer (SMR) that produces hydrogen (H 2 ) and CO and/or CO 2 , wherein at least a portion of the CO and/or CO 2 is used to produce MeOH.

256 . The method of claim 255 , further comprising directing the CO and/or CO 2 produced in the SMR to the MeOH reactor.

257 . The method of claim 256 , wherein all of the CO and/or CO 2 from the product stream and all of the CO and/or CO 2 from the SMR is converted to MeOH in the MeOH reactor.

258 . The method of claim 255 , wherein the un-reacted CH 4 is provided as fuel to the SMR.

259 . The method of claim 255 , wherein the un-reacted CH 4 is provided as feedstock to the SMR, and wherein the SMR converts the un-reacted CH 4 into the H 2 and at least one of the CO and CO 2 for conversion to MeOH in the MeOH reactor.

260 . The method of claim 255 , wherein at least about 95% of the methane is converted into MeOH or C 2+ products.

261 . The method of claim 253 , further comprising providing the C 2+ compounds to a cracker that cracks or refines the C 2+ compounds.

262 . The method of claim 255 , wherein at least 80% of the methane consumed by the SMR is from the CH 4 stream.

263 . The method of claim 255 , further comprising directing a portion of the CH 4 stream to a cracker.

264 . The method of claim 263 , wherein at least 80% of the methane consumed by the SMR and the cracker is from the CH 4 stream.

265 . The method of claim 263 , further comprising directing at least a portion of the CH 4 stream to a methane-consuming process, and wherein at least 80% of the methane consumed by the SMR, the cracker and the methane-consuming process is from the CH 4 stream.

266 . The method of claim 253 , wherein the product stream comprises CO.

267 . The method of claim 253 , wherein the product stream comprises CO 2 .

268 . The method of claim 253 , wherein the product stream comprises CO and CO 2 .

269 . A system for producing methanol (MeOH) and hydrocarbon compounds containing at least two carbon atoms (C 2+ compounds), comprising:
an oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) reactor that (i) receives methane (CH 4 ) and oxygen (O 2 ) and (ii) reacts the CH 4 and O 2 to yield a product stream comprising the C 2+ compounds, carbon monoxide (CO) and/or carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and un-reacted CH 4 ; and
an MeOH reactor that (i) receives the CO and/or CO 2 from the product stream and (ii) reacts the CO and/or CO 2 to produce MeOH.

270 . The system of claim 269 , further comprising a steam methane reformer (SMR) that (i) receives the un-reacted CH 4 from the product stream and (ii) provides hydrogen (H 2 ) and at least one of carbon monoxide (CO) and CO 2 to the MeOH reactor to produce MeOH.

271 . The system of claim 269 , further comprising a separation unit downstream of the OCM reactor and upstream of the MeOH reactor, wherein the separation unit produces an effluent stream comprising the CO and/or CO 2 from the product stream, and wherein a concertation of the CO and/or CO 2 in the effluent stream is greater than a concentration of CO and/or CO 2 in the product stream.

272 . The system of claim 270 , further comprising a separation unit downstream of the OCM reactor and upstream of the SMR, wherein the separation unit produces a CH 4 stream comprising the un-reacted CH 4 from the product stream, and wherein a concentration of the un-reacted CH 4 in the CH 4 stream is greater than a concentration of the un-reacted CH 4 in the product stream.

273 . The system of claim 269 , further comprising a cracker that (i) receives the C 2+ compounds and (ii) cracks or refines the C 2+ compounds.

274 . The system of claim 269 , further comprising a cracker that receives at least a portion of the un-reacted CH 4 .

275 . The system of claim 269 , further comprising a methane-consuming module that receives the un-reacted CH 4 .

Assignees

• Siluria Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Radaelli Guido
• Bridges Robert
• Rafique Humera A
• Duggal Suchia
• Vuddagiri Srinivas
• Cizeron Joel
• Mccormick Jarod
• Patel Bipinkumar
• Lakhapatri Satish

Classifications

• C01B2203/0811

  by combustion of fuel · CPC title

• C01B2203/0445

  Selective methanation · CPC title

• C07C5/48

  with oxygen as an acceptor · CPC title

• C01B2203/84

  Energy production · CPC title

• C01B2203/0833

  Heating by indirect heat exchange with hot fluids, other than combustion gases, product gases or non-combustive exothermic reaction product gases · CPC title