HIGH EFFICIENCY PROCESSES FOR OLEFINS, ALKYNES, AND HYDROGEN CO-PRODUCTION FROM LIGHT HYDROCARBONS SUCH AS METHANE

摘要

High efficiency processes for producing olefins, alkynes, and hydrogen co-production from light hydrocarbons are disclosed. In one version, the method includes the steps of combusting hydrogen and oxygen in a combustion zone of a pyrolytic reactor to create a combustion gas stream, transitioning a velocity of the combustion gas stream from subsonic to supersonic in an expansion zone of the pyrolytic reactor, injecting a light hydrocarbon into the supersonic combustion gas stream to create a mixed stream including the light hydrocarbon, transitioning the velocity of the mixed stream from supersonic to subsonic in a reaction zone of the pyrolytic reactor to produce acetylene, and catalytically hydrogenating the acetylene in a hydrogenation zone to produce ethylene. In certain embodiments, the carbon efficiency is improved using methanation techniques.