Process for the production of ethylene

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR OBTAINING ETHYLENE IN HIGH YIELDS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF THERMALLY CRACKING A GAS WHICH IS AT LEAST PREDOMINANTLY METHANE AT A RELATIVELY HIGH TEMPERATURE RANGING BETWEEN ABOUT 800*C. AND 1100* C. TO PARTLY CONVERT SAID GAS TO A MIIXTURE OF ETHYLENE AND SATURATED AND UNSATURATED HYDROCARBONS, SEPARATING SAID MIXTURE FROM THE UNCONVERTED PROTIONS OF THE GAS, REMOVING THE ETHYLENE FROM THE MIXTURE, AND SUBJECTING THE REMAINDER OF SAID MIXTURE TO A SECOND THERMAL CRACKING STEP AT A RELATIVELY LOWER TEMPERATURE RANGING BETWEEN ABOUT 600*C. AND 800C. TO CONVERT THE SAID REMAINDER OF SAID MIXTURE AT LEAST PARTIALLY TO ETHYLENE.