Ethylene-to-liquids systems and methods

Abstract

Integrated systems are provided for the production of higher hydrocarbon compositions, for example liquid hydrocarbon compositions, from methane using an oxidative coupling of methane system to convert methane to ethylene, followed by conversion of ethylene to selectable higher hydrocarbon products. Integrated systems and processes are provided that process methane through to these higher hydrocarbon products.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 an ethylene-to-liquids (ETL) reactor that (i) receives an olefin feed stream at a first temperature, said olefin feed stream comprising (1) ethylene (C 2 H 4 ) at a concentration of at least about 0.5 mole percent (mol %), (2) C 2 H 4  and propylene (C 3 H 6 ) at a combined concentration of at most about 10 mol %, and (3) carbon monoxide (CO) or carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and (ii) as part of an ETL process, facilitates conversion of C 2 H 4  to higher hydrocarbon products with the aid of an ETL catalyst to yield a product stream comprising said higher hydrocarbon products that is at a second temperature which is higher than said first temperature, wherein said ETL process liberates heat; and   a separations module in fluid communication with said ETL reactor that recovers from said product stream a liquid stream comprising said higher hydrocarbon products, wherein said higher hydrocarbon products include (i) at least 5 compounds having 5 different carbon numbers, said 5 carbon numbers selected from 4 through 20, wherein each of said at least 5 carbon numbers is at a concentration of at least 5 weight percent (wt %) of said liquid stream, and (ii) a paraffin compound, an isoparaffin compound, and a naphthene compound,   wherein during use, at least about 80% of said heat liberated in said ETL process provides a difference between said first temperature and said second temperature of between about 50° C. and about 150° C.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said 5 carbon numbers are selected from 4 through 12. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said 5 carbon numbers are selected from 12 through 20. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said higher hydrocarbon products further comprise an olefin compound or an aromatic compound. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said recovering comprises cooling said product stream. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising, upstream of said ETL reactor, a treatment unit in fluid communication with said ETL reactor, wherein said treatment unit reduces the concentration in said olefin feed stream of (i) compounds having triple bonds or (ii) compounds having more than one double bond, wherein said reducing is accomplished by a separations process or a reaction process. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said olefin feed stream comprises less than about 500 parts per million (ppm) of acetylene. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising, upstream of said ETL reactor, a treatment unit in fluid communication with said ETL reactor, wherein said treatment unit reduces the concentration in said olefin feed stream of compounds having sulfur to less than about 300 parts per million (ppm). 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said olefin feed stream comprises less than about 10 mol % carbon monoxide (CO). 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said ETL reactor generates said higher hydrocarbon products at a single pass conversion of at least about 40%. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said ETL reactor operates at a temperature greater than or equal to about 200° C. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said ETL reactor operates at a pressure greater than or equal to about 50 pounds per square inch. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said product stream comprises less than 50 weight percent (wt %) water. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said ETL reactor operates substantially adiabatically.