SELECTIVE OXIDATION OF METHANE TO METHANOL

A LARGE FRACTION OF THE WORLD'S TOTAL SUPPLY OF NATURAL GAS IS LOCATED IN REGIONS SO INACCESSIBLE THAT IT IS NOT ECONOMIC TO PIPELINE OR LIQUEFY THE GAS AND SHIP IT TO MARKET. THIS STATIC NATURAL GAS PROBLEM IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO THE UNITED STATES-BOTH BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES HAS IMPORTANT STATIC GAS RESERVES IN ALASKA AND ELSEWHERE, AND BECAUSE THIS COUNTRY IS AN ENERGY-IMPORTING NATION. BY DEVELOPING THE TECHNOLOGY NECESSARY TO UTILIZE STATIC NATURAL GAS, THE UNITED STATES CAN INCREASE THE WORLD'S SUPPLY OF ENERGY AND THEREBY DECREASE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SPENT BUYING FOREIGN ENERGY. THE CONVERSION OF STATIC NATURAL GAS (I.E., METHANE (CH4)) TO METHANOL (CH3OH) IS AN ESPECIALLY ATTRACTIVE APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM; AS HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED, A METHANOL-FUELED AUTOMOBILE IS CAPABLE OF NEARLY POLLUTION-FREE OPERATION, WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY THAT IS 25% TO 40% BETTER THAN THAT OF PRESENT GASOLINE-FUELED AUTOMOBILES. RESEARCHERS HAVE ALSO SHOWN THAT THE NONCATALYTIC OXIDATION OF CH4 CAN PRODUCE CH3OH WITH AN INITIAL YIELD OF 81 PERCENT, BUT THAT THIS YIELD DROPS RAPIDLY WITH INCREASING CH4 CONVERSION. OXIDATION OF METHANE TO METHANOL AT HIGH YIELD AND LOW CONVERSION WILL BE AN ATTRACTIVE PROCESS ONLY IF METHANOL CAN BE RECOVERED AT LOW CONCENTRATIONS WHILE THE SENSIBLE HEAT OF THE GAS FROM WHICH THE METHANOL IS RECOVERED CAN BE CONSERVED. PHASE I PLANS TO DEMONSTRATE A NOVEL SEPARATION TECHNIQUE ON A CONTINUOUS STREAM OF METHANE CONTAINING METHANOL AT A LOW CONCENTRATION. MEASUREMENTS OF METHANE RECOVERY AND SENSIBLE HEAT RECOVERY ARE BEING MADE. IN PHASE II, THE ENTIRE PROCESS (SELECTIVE OXIDATION WITH PRODUCT RECOVERY AND HEAT RECOVERY) WILL BE DEMONSTRATED.