US 12,234,199 B2
Systems, methods, and devices for methane conversion via gas recycling
Eric D. Wachsman, Fulton, MD (US); Dongxia Liu, Clarksville, MD (US); and Mann Sakbodin, Bangkok (TH)
Assigned to UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK, College Park, MD (US)
Filed by UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK, College Park, MD (US)
Filed on Nov. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/517,843.
Application 18/517,843 is a division of application No. 17/746,229, filed on May 17, 2022, granted, now 11,878,953.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/189,672, filed on May 17, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0092710 A1, Mar. 21, 2024
Int. Cl. C07C 2/84 (2006.01); B01J 10/00 (2006.01); B01J 19/00 (2006.01); B01J 19/18 (2006.01); B01J 21/08 (2006.01); B01J 23/745 (2006.01)
CPC C07C 2/84 (2013.01) [B01J 10/00 (2013.01); B01J 19/0053 (2013.01); B01J 19/1893 (2013.01); B01J 21/08 (2013.01); B01J 23/745 (2013.01); C07C 2521/08 (2013.01); C07C 2523/745 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A methane conversion system comprising:
a first reactor having an inlet and an outlet;
an aromatics separation device having an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, the inlet of the separation device connected to receive a first processed stream from the outlet of the first reactor;
a second reactor having a first gas flow volume, a second gas flow volume, and a membrane separating the first gas flow volume from the second gas flow volume, the first gas flow volume being connected to receive a second processed stream from the first outlet of the aromatics separation device; and
a recycle line comprising one or more fluid conduits, the inlet of the first reactor being connected to receive a recycle stream from the first gas flow volume via the recycle line,
wherein the first reactor is constructed to convert at least some CH4 in an input gas flow stream provided to the inlet of the first reactor, so as to provide to the outlet of the first reactor the first processed stream and such that a quantity of CH4 in the first processed stream is less than that in the input gas flow stream, the first processed stream comprising CH4, C2hydrocarbons, H2, and aromatics,
the C2 hydrocarbons are acetylene (C2H2), ethylene (C2H4), ethane (C2H6), or any combination of the foregoing,
the aromatics are benzene (C6H6), toluene (C7H8), naphthalene (C10H8), or any combination of the foregoing,
the aromatics separation device is constructed to remove at least some aromatics from the first processed stream provided to the inlet of the aromatics separation device, so as to provide to the first outlet of the aromatics separation device a second processed stream comprising CH4, C2 hydrocarbons, and H2, and to provide to the second outlet of the aromatics separation device a first output stream comprising the removed at least some aromatics, a quantity of the aromatics in the second processed stream being less than in the first processed stream, and
the second reactor is constructed to remove at least some H2 from the second processed stream, which is provided to the first gas flow volume, into the second gas flow volume via the membrane, so as to provide to the recycle line a recycle stream comprising CH4 and C2 hydrocarbons, a quantity of the H2 in the recycle stream being less than that in the second processed stream.