Process for the conversion of natural gas to acetylene and liquid fuels with externally derived hydrogen

Abstract

A process for converting natural gas from which contaminants have been sufficiently removed to acetylene includes heating the purified gas through a selected range of temperature for adequate time or combustion of the purified gas at adequate temperature within a suitable environment during an adequate reaction time to convert a fraction of the gas stream to acetylene, wherein the acetylene is directed for other processes, reactions, and uses. A process for converting natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons by combusting externally derived hydrogen for heating natural gas to a selected range of temperature. A process for converting natural gas to liquid hydrocarbons by reacting conversion products with externally derived hydrogen to form olefins comprising ethylene, and catalytically forming liquid hydrocarbons from the olefins comprising ethylene.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids, comprising:
 converting at least a portion of the natural gas to in a conversion reactor, wherein the conversion reactor is at least partially heated to conversion conditions by combusting a hydrogen stream, such that olefins are produced, converting at least a portion of the olefins to hydrocarbon liquids.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising prior to combusting a hydrogen stream, the steps of:
 producing a gaseous stream, comprising at least a portion of hydrogen;   separating the hydrogen from the gaseous stream; and   directing the hydrogen to the conversion reactor with an oxidant for combustion.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises obtaining a stream derived from an external process. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises gasifying a biomaterial. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises producing syngas 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises collecting Fischer-Tropsch tail gases. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises the electrolysis or thermal decomposition of hydrogen containing molecules. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein gasifying a biomaterial further comprises treating the biomaterial. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the conversion reactor further comprises
 a reactor portion for reacting a NG stream to form olefins; and   a burner portion for partially combusting hydrogen to heat the reactor portion to conversion conditions.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein partially combusting hydrogen to heat reactor portion comprises combusting hydrogen at a temperature of at least 1000K. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein partially combusting hydrogen, further comprises directing a portion of the combustion gases to the reactor portion of the conversion reactor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein heating the reactor to conversion conditions comprises raising the temperature to about 1000 K to about 1800 K for about 0.1 to about 100 milliseconds. 
     
     
         13 . A method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids, comprising:
 combusting a hydrogen stream, to at least partially heat a conversion reactor;   directing a portion of a natural gas stream to the conversion reactor;   converting at least a portion of the natural gas to in a conversion reactor, such that that the olefins are produced; and   converting at least a portion of the olefins to hydrocarbon liquids.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising the steps prior to combusting a hydrogen stream of producing a gaseous stream, comprising at least a portion of hydrogen;
 separating the hydrogen from the gaseous stream; and   directing the hydrogen to the conversion reactor with an oxidant for combustion.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises obtaining a stream derived from an external process. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein obtaining a stream comprises a process chosen from gasifying a biomaterial, producing syngas, collecting Fischer-Tropsch tail gases, electrolyzing water, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein producing a gaseous stream further comprises treating the gaseous stream to improve hydrogen concentration. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein partially combusting hydrogen, further raising the temperature to about 1000 K to about 1800 K for about 0.1 to about 100 milliseconds. 
     
     
         19 . A method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids, comprising:
 producing a gaseous stream, comprising at least a portion of hydrogen from an externally derived process;   separating the hydrogen from the gaseous stream;   directing the hydrogen to the conversion reactor with an oxidant for combustion;   combusting a hydrogen stream, to at least partially heat a conversion reactor;   directing a portion of a natural gas stream to the conversion reactor;   converting at least a portion of the natural gas in a conversion reactor, such that that the olefins are produced; and   converting at least a portion of the olefins to hydrocarbon liquids.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein an externally derived process comprises one chosen from gasifying a biomaterial, producing syngas, collecting Fischer-Tropsch tail gases, electrolyzing water, thermal decomposition of hydrogen containing molecules, and combinations thereof 
     
     
         21 . A method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids, comprising:
 converting at least a portion of the natural gas to in a conversion reactor, wherein the conversion reactor is at least partially heated to conversion conditions such that hydrocarbon products comprising acetylene are produced   reacting the hydrocarbon products comprising acetylene in a hydrogenation reactor in contact with a hydrogen stream;   converting at least a portion of the hydrocarbon products to olefins comprising ethylene; and   converting at least a portion of the olefins to hydrocarbon liquids.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising the steps prior to reacting the hydrogen products of producing a gaseous stream, comprising at least a portion of hydrogen;
 separating the hydrogen from the gaseous stream; and   directing the hydrogen to the hydrogenation reactor.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises obtaining a stream derived from an external process. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises gasifying a biomaterial. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises producing syngas. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises collecting Fischer-Tropsch tail gases. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein producing a gaseous stream comprises the electrolysis or thermal decomposition of hydrogen containing molecules. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein gasifying a biomaterial further comprises treating the biomaterial. 
     
     
         29 . A method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids, comprising:
 heating a conversion reactor, at least partially by combusting a natural gas stream;   directing a portion of a natural gas stream to the conversion reactor;   converting at least a portion of the natural gas in a conversion reactor, such that that a product stream comprising acetylene is formed;   hydrogenating the product stream comprising acetylene in a hydrogenator, in contact with a hydrogen stream to form olefins, wherein the hydrogen stream is obtained from an external process; and   converting at least a portion of the olefins to hydrocarbon liquids   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , comprising the steps prior to hydrogenating the product stream of:
 producing a gaseous stream, comprising at least a portion of hydrogen;   separating the hydrogen from the gaseous stream; and   directing the hydrogen stream to the hydrogenator.   
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the hydrogen stream derived from an external process comprises one chosen from gasifying a biomaterial, producing syngas, collecting Fischer-Tropsch tail gases, electrolyzing water, thermal decomposition of hydrogen containing molecules, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         32 . A method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids, comprising:
 forming a hydrocarbon stream comprising acetylene by;
 directing a natural gas stream to a conversion reactor; 
 diverting a portion of the natural gas stream for combustion in the conversion reactor; 
 converting at least a portion of the natural gas to acetylene in a conversion reactor, wherein the conversion reactor is at least partially heated to conversion conditions by partially combusting the diverted portion of natural gas, such that hydrocarbons comprising acetylene are produced; and 
 introducing the hydrocarbons comprising acetylene into a hydrogenation reactor; 
 hydrogenating the hydrocarbon stream comprising acetylene to form a product comprising ethylene by;
 producing a gaseous stream, comprising at least a portion of hydrogen from an externally derived process; 
 separating the hydrogen from contaminants in the gaseous stream; 
 introducing the hydrogen to a hydrogenation reactor; and 
 reacting the hydrocarbons comprising acetylene with the hydrogen to form a product comprising ethylene; and, 
 
 reacting the product comprising ethylene to form liquid hydrocarbons. 
   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein an externally derived process comprises a process chosen from gasifying a biomaterial, producing syngas, collecting Fischer-Tropsch tail gases, electrolyzing water, thermal decomposition of hydrogen containing molecules, and combinations thereof 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein producing a gaseous stream further comprises treating the gaseous stream. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the conversion reactor comprises
 a reactor portion for reacting a NG stream to form acetylene; and   a burner portion for partially combusting the diverted portion of natural gas for heating the reactor portion to conversion conditions.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein partially combusting the diverted portion of natural gas to heat reactor portion comprises combusting hydrogen at a temperature of at least 1000K. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein partially combusting the diverted portion of natural gas, further comprises directing a portion of the combustion gases to the reactor portion of the conversion reactor. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein heating the reactor to conversion conditions comprises raising the temperature to about 1000 K to about 1800 K. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein raising the temperature further comprises exposing the natural gas to the raised temperature for about 0.1 to about 100 milliseconds. 
     
     
         40 . A method for converting natural gas to hydrocarbon liquids, comprising:
 producing a gaseous stream, comprising at least a portion of hydrogen from an externally derived process;   separating the hydrogen from the gaseous stream;   forming a first hydrogen stream and a second hydrogen stream;   directing the first hydrogen stream to a conversion reactor, having a burner unit and a reactor vessel;   mixing the first hydrogen stream with a first natural gas stream and an oxidant, to form a burn stream;   combusting the burn stream in the burner unit of the conversion reactor for heating the reactor vessel, wherein the reactor vessel comprises a second natural gas stream, to form an acetylene containing stream;   mixing the acetylene containing stream with the second hydrogen stream in a hydrogenation stream, to form an ethylene containing stream; and   reacting the ethylene containing stream to form liquid hydrocarbons.