Oxidative coupling of methane at elevated pressures: reactor concept and its validation

Abstract

A novel quartz reactor has been developed for heterogeneously catalysed reactions at high pressures and temperatures. Its potential has been demonstrated for the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). A selectivity to higher hydrocarbons of 83% at 20% CH₄ conversion was achieved at 10 bar. When OCM was combined with consecutive hydrogenation of carbon oxides (CO_x) in a separate downstream reactor, the selectivity was increased to 100%, thus excluding expensive CO_x separation.