GB363344A - Improvements in the manufacture and production of hydrocarbons - Google Patents

Abstract

In the conversion by heat treatment of paraffinic or olefinic hydrocarbons which are gaseous at ordinary temperature and pressure into hydrocarbons having a lower content of hydrogen, high temperature coke formed in the dry distillation of coals is used as catalyst, the coke being heated up from time to time and then used as a heat accumulator supplying the heat required for the conversion. The catalyst may be partly or wholly freed from mineral constituents, especially from iron, by boiling up with acids before its employment. It is preferable to work at temperatures above 400 DEG C. but below temperatures at which substantial decomposition into carbon and hydrogen takes place, and pressures up to 300 atmospheres may be employed. In the conversion of methane at ordinary pressure into aromatic hydrocarbons, the temperature should be between 950 and 1300 DEG C.; in the conversion of ethane, propane or butane or mixtures thereof at ordinary pressure into olefines, temperatures from 500-850 DEG C. are suitable; when converting ethane, propane, butane, ethylene, propylene or butylene into aromatic hydrocarbons, temperatures between 600 and 900 DEG C. should be employed at ordinary pressure, while at elevated pressures between 50 and 200 atmospheres, temperatures between 400 and 650 DEG are preferable. The heating of the coke may be effected by means of combustion gases, as for example in a Cowper apparatus, or by burning part of the catalyst with gases containing oxygen, as for example in gas producer apparatus, in which case the temperature should be below 1100 DEG C. An example of the process is given. The Provisional Specification is not limited to operating in a discontinuous manner, and gives examples of continuous operation, using external heating of the reaction vessel. Specification 301,775, [Class 2 (iii), Dyes &c.], is referred to.ALSO:In the conversion by heat treatment of paraffinic or olefinic hydrocarbons which are gaseous at ordinary temperature and pressure into hydrocarbons having a lower content of hydrogen, high temperature coke formed in the dry distillation of coals is used as catalyst, the coke being heated up from time to time and then used as a heat accumulator supplying the heat required for the conversion. The catalyst may be partly or wholly freed from mineral constituents, especially from iron, by boiling up with acids before its employment. It is preferable to work at temperatures above 400 DEG C. but below temperatures at which substantial decomposition into carbon and hydrogen takes place, and pressures up to 300 atmospheres may be employed. In the conversion of methane at ordinary pressure into aromatic hydrocarbons, the temperature should be between 950 and 1300 DEG C.; in the conversion of ethane, propane, or butane or mixtures thereof at ordinary pressure into olefines, temperatures from 500 to 850 DEG C. are suitable; when converting ethane, propane, butane, ethylene, propylene or butylene into aromatic hydrocarbons, temperatures between 600 and 900 DEG C. should be employed at ordinary pressure, while at elevated pressures between 50 and 200 atmospheres, temperatures between 400 and 650 DEG C. are preferable. The heating of the coke may be effected by means of combustion gases, as for example in a Cowper apparatus, or by burning part of the catalyst with gases containing oxygen, as for example in gas producer apparatus, in which case the temperature should be below 1100 DEG C. An example of the process is given. The Provisional Specification is not limited to operating in a discontinuous manner, and gives examples of continuous operation using external heating of the reaction vessel. Specification 301,775, [Class 2 (iii), Dyes &c.], is referred to.