Hydrocarbon conversion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9957206-B2
Application number	US-201715593984-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2017
Priority date	Dec 6, 2013
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

This disclosure relates to the conversion of methane to higher molecular weight (C 5+ ) hydrocarbon, including aromatic hydrocarbon, to materials and equipment useful in such conversion, and to the use of such conversion for, e.g., natural gas upgrading.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for producing aromatic hydrocarbon, the process comprising:
(a) providing a feed comprising at least one C 2+ aliphatic hydrocarbon, at least one C 1+ organic oxygenate and at least 9 mole % of methane, the mole percent being based on per mole of feed, wherein the molar ratio of methane to C 1+ organic oxygenate in the feed is in the range of 0.6:1 to 20:1 and the molar ratio of methane to C 2+ aliphatic hydrocarbon in the feed is in the range of from 0.1:1 to 20:1;
(b) contacting the feed with a catalyst comprising at least one molecular sieve and at least one dehydrogenation component under conditions, including a temperature <700° C., effective to convert at least part of the methane, C 2+ hydrocarbon and C 1+ organic oxygenate in the feed to a product comprising at least 5 wt. % of C 5+ hydrocarbon based on the weight of the product, wherein the molecular sieve comprises at least one of ZSM-12, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, ZSM-48, UZM-8, a molecular sieve of the MCM-22 family, or mixtures or intermediates thereof; and
(c) separating at least part of the C 5+ hydrocarbon from the product.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein (i) the molar ratio of methane to C 1+ organic oxygenate in the feed is in the range of from 4:1 to 10:1 and (ii) the molar ratio of C 2+ aliphatic hydrocarbon to C 1+ organic oxygenate in the feed is in the range of 2:1 to 10:1.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein (i) the feed comprises >25.0 mole % of methane, (ii) the molar ratio of methane to C 1+ organic oxygenate in the feed is in the range of from 5:1 to 10:1, and (iii) the molar ratio of C 2+ aliphatic hydrocarbon to C 1+ organic oxygenate in the feed is in the range of from 3:1 to 10:1.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the feed comprises the at least one C 1+ organic oxygenate, from 40 mole % to 80 mole % of methane, from 1 mole % to 15 mole % acetylene, and from 1 mole % to 40 mole % C 2+ aliphatic hydrocarbon, the mole percents being per mole of feed.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the C 1+ organic oxygenate comprises a compound represented by a general formula: C n H 2n+1 OC m H 2m+1 , wherein C, H and O are carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, respectively; n is an integer having a value from 1 to 3; and m is an integer having a value from zero to 2.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the C 1+ organic oxygenate comprises >90.0 wt. % of C 1 to C 4 alcohol and/or C 2 to C 8 dialkyl ether, based on the weight of the C 1+ organic oxygenate.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the methane and C 2+ aliphatic hydrocarbon in the feed is derived from wet natural gas.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the dehydrogenation component comprises a metal or compound thereof from Groups 3 to 13 of the Periodic Table.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein step (b) is carried out under contacting conditions including one or more of a temperature in the range of from 275° C. to 650° C., a pressure in the range of from 1.2 bar (absolute) to 4 bar (absolute), and a feed gas hourly space velocity of >100 cm 3 /h/g of catalyst.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein (i) the product comprises, <10.0 wt. % C 2 to C 4 hydrocarbon, based on the weight of the product, (ii) methane conversion is >5.0 wt. %, based on the weight of methane in the feed, and (iii) the C 5+ hydrocarbon comprises >90.0 wt. % of C 6 to C 10 aromatics, based on the weight of the product's C 5+ hydrocarbon.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the molecular sieve comprises MCM-22, PSH-3, SSZ-25, ERB-1, ITQ-2, MCM-36, MCM-49, MCM-56, or a mixture thereof.

Assignees

• Exxonmobil Chemical Patents Inc

Inventors

• Keusenkothen Paul F
• Henao Juan D
• Patil Abhimanyu O
• Cao Guang

Classifications

• C07C2/865

  the non-hydrocarbon is an ether · CPC title

• C07C2/864 Primary

  the non-hydrocarbon is an alcohol · CPC title

• C07C2529/06

  Crystalline aluminosilicate zeolites; Isomorphous compounds thereof · CPC title

• C07C2529/87

  Gallosilicates; Aluminogallosilicates; Galloborosilicates · CPC title

• C07C2/76 Primary

  by condensation of hydrocarbons with partial elimination of hydrogen · CPC title