US3898057A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for converting methanol to a high-methane gas
Assignee: GEA Group AG
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Filing: 1974-08-01
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Granted: 1975-08-05
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Expires: 1994-08-01
Abstract
Abstract Methanol is converted into a high-methane gas by cracking methanol vapor in one or more stages under super-atmospheric pressure at elevated temperatures in contact with a catalyst and preferably in the presence of water vapor. A methane containing gas having a higher methane concentration than the gas produced by the cracking of methanol alone is added to the feedstock to be converted prior to the cracking reaction.
Inventors
- 👤 Friedrich Wilhelm Moller
- 👤 Heinz Jockel
- 👤 Karl Bratzler
- 👤 Hans-Joachim Renner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 00:22
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10L; C10L3/00; C10L3/06; C10L3/08; C07; C07C; C07C1/00; C07C1/02; C07C1/04; C07C1/0485; C07C1/12; C07C1/20; C07C2523/00; C07C2523/70; C07C2523/74; C07C2523/755; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P20/00; Y02P20/50; Y02P20/52
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
IN A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING METHANOL INTO A HIGH-METHANE GAS BY CRACKING METHANOL VAPOR IN ONE OR MORE STAGES UNDER SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES IN CONTACT WITH A CATALYST, PREFERABLY IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER VAPOR, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES ADDING A METHANE CONTAINING GAS HAVING A HIGHER METHANE CONCENTRATION THAN THE GAS PRODUCED BY THE CRACKING OF METHANOL ALONE TO THE FEEDSTOCK TO BE CONVERTED.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
IN A PROCESS FOR CONVERTING METHANOL INTO A HIGH-METHANE GAS BY CRACKING METHANOL VAPOR IN ONE OR MORE STAGES UNDER SUPERATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES IN CONTACT WITH A CATALYST, PREFERABLY IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER VAPOR, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES ADDING A METHANE CONTAINING GAS HAVING A HIGHER METHANE CONCENTRATION THAN THE GAS PRODUCED BY THE CRACKING OF METHANOL ALONE TO THE FEEDSTOCK TO BE CONVERTED.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
Process of claim 1 wherein said methane-containing gas contains about 75-100% methane by volume.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
Process of claim 2 wherein said methane-containing gas contains more than 90% methane by volume.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
Process of claim 1 wherein the gas produced is passed through at least one methanation stage and then through a carbon dioxide scrubber and a partial stream of the methanized gas substantially free of carbon dioxide is recycled to the methanol-cracking stage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
Process of claim 1 wherein the gas produced is passed through at least one methanation stage and then through a cooler and a carbon dioxide scrubber and a partial stream of the gas thus treated is saturated in a saturator with condensate produced in the cooler, particularly with water vapor, and is recycled to the methanol-cracking stage.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
Process of claim 1 wherien the weight ratio of water vapor to methanol in the gas mixture flowing in contact with the methanol-cracking catalyst is at least 0.7:1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
Process of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of the fresh water vapor added from the outside to methanol feedstock is below 4:1 and preferably below 2:1.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
Process of claim 1 wherein a nickel catalyst containing 25-75%, preferably 35-60%, nickel by weight is used for the conversion of methanol.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
Process of claim 8 wherein the maximum particle size of the nickel in the fresh catalyst material is 300 Angstroms and the most frequent particle size is in the range of 50-150 Angstroms.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
Process of claim 8 wherein the fresh catalyst has a hydrogen adsorption above 3 milliliters per gram.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
Process of claim 1 wherein the methanol is converted at a temperature of 250*-550*C. and preferably at a temperature of 280*-500*C.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
Process of claim 1 wherein the pressure in the conversion reactor is in the range of 5-100, preferably 15-60, kilograms per square centimeter absolute pressure.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3625665A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-04 | 1979-02-03 | 1979-08-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-04 | 1983-02-03 | 1983-08-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-04 | 1987-02-03 | 1987-08-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |