A single step methane conversion into synthetic fuels using microplasma reactor

作者：Nozaki Tomohiro^*; Agiral Anil; Yuzawa Shuhei; Gardeniers J G E Han; Okazaki Ken

来源：Chemical Engineering Journal, 2011, 166(1): 288-293.

DOI：10.1016/j.cej.2010.08.001

• Non-thermal discharge
• Microreactor
• Methanol
• Syngas
• DME

Direct conversion of natural gas into synthetic fuels such as methanol attracts keen attention because direct process can reduce capital and operating costs of high temperature, energy intensive, multi-step processes. We report a direct and selective synthesis of organic oxygenates such as methanol, formaldehyde, and formic acid via methane partial oxidation at room temperature using non-thermal discharge microreactor. Heat generated by methane partial oxidation is removed efficiently in the microreactor configuration: liquid components are condensed on the reactor wall and separated from O(2)-rich reactive plasma, enabling selective synthesis of oxygenates while high methane conversion is achieved in a single reactor. As a result, organic oxygenates were synthesized with one-pass yield of 5-20% with 70-30% selectivity. In addition to oxygenates, syngas was produced with selectivity of 40% and H(2)/CO = 1. Assuming one step catalytic DME synthesis as a post-discharge process, one-pass liquid yield of 30% with 80% selectivity is feasible.

• 出版日期2011-1-1