US4383837A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Efficient methane production with metal hydrides
Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Co
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Filing: 1979-12-28
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Granted: 1983-05-17
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Expires: 1999-12-28
Abstract
Abstract This invention concerns an efficient, high recovery, single product, multiple-stage process for producing high BTU methane from a low BTU feed gas containing carbon monoxide, hydrogen, nitrogen and other materials. In the process, impurities like hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide are removed at the appropriate point. The carbon monoxide is removed and split into two streams. One stream is reacted with steam to provide additional hydrogen which is mixed with the other carbon monoxide stream and passed to a methanator. The hydrogen in the feed gas is recovered in an especially efficient two stage manner which is suitable for use with standard cooling water and which reduces metallurgical problems, compression requirements and heat requirements. In the first stage, metal hydrides are formed, thereby separating the hydrogen in the feed gas from nitrogen and the nitrogen exits and is removed. The hydrides are then decomposed to generate additional hydrogen which is also passed to the methanator where carbon monoxide and hydrogen are reacted to form methane and water. The process produces a pipeline quality synthetic natural gas.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert H. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 04:46
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B3/00; C01B3/50; C01B3/508; C01B3/0005; C01B3/001; C01B3/0018; C01B3/0031; C01B3/0047; C01B3/0057; C01B3/02; C01B3/06; C01B3/12; C07; C07C; C07C1/00; C07C1/02; C07C1/04; C07C1/0485; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
A process for producing methane from a feed gas comprised of H 2 , CO and N 2 , said process comprising. (a) removing CO from said feed gas to produce a first H 2 -rich gas; (b) dividing the CO separated in step (a) into a first and a second CO-rich gas; (c) reacting said first CO-rich gas produced in step (b) with H 2 O in a water-gas shift conversion zone to produce a gas rich in CO 2 and H 2 ; (d) removing CO 2 from the gas produced by step (b) to produce a second H 2 -rich gas; (e) passing said second H 2 -rich gas to a methane forming reaction gas; (f) reacting H 2 in said first H 2 -rich gas produced in step (a) with a solid material comprised of at least one active metal to form a hydride thereby producing spent waste gas rich in N 2 ; (g) decomposing hydride produced in step (f) to form a third H 2 -rich gas; (h) passing said second CO-rich gas produced in step (b) to said methane forming reaction gas; (i) passing at least a portion of said third H 2 -rich gas to said methane forming reaction zone, and (j) reacting said gases passed to said methane forming reaction zone to produce methane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
A process for producing methane from a feed gas comprised of H 2 , CO and N 2 , said process comprising. (a) removing CO from said feed gas to produce a first H 2 -rich gas; (b) dividing the CO separated in step (a) into a first and a second CO-rich gas; (c) reacting said first CO-rich gas produced in step (b) with H 2 O in a water-gas shift conversion zone to produce a gas rich in CO 2 and H 2 ; (d) removing CO 2 from the gas produced by step (b) to produce a second H 2 -rich gas; (e) passing said second H 2 -rich gas to a methane forming reaction gas; (f) reacting H 2 in said first H 2 -rich gas produced in step (a) with a solid material comprised of at least one active metal to form a hydride thereby producing spent waste gas rich in N 2 ; (g) decomposing hydride produced in step (f) to form a third H 2 -rich gas; (h) passing said second CO-rich gas produced in step (b) to said methane forming reaction gas; (i) passing at least a portion of said third H 2 -rich gas to said methane forming reaction zone, and (j) reacting said gases passed to said methane forming reaction zone to produce methane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
In the process of claim 1 wherein said feed gas also contains H 2 S and prior to step (a), H 2 S is removed from said feed gas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
In the process of claim 1 wherein said feed gas also contains CO 2 and after step (a) but prior to step (f), CO 2 is removed from said first H 2 -rich gas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
In the process of claim 3 wherein said feed gas also contains H 2 S and prior to step (a), H 2 S is removed from said feed gas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
In the process of claim 1 wherein prior to step (d), said second CO-rich gas is combined with said gas rich in CO 2 and H 2 produced in step (c).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
In the process of claim 5 wherein said feed gas also contains CO 2 and after step (a) but prior to step (f), CO 2 is removed from said first H 2 -rich gas.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
In the process of claim 6 wherein said feed gas also contains H 2 S and prior to step (a), H 2 S is removed from said feed gas.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
In the process of claim 1 wherein the hydride reaction of step (f) is carried out at a temperature above 100° F. and decomposition of the hydride in step (g) is carried out at a temperature below 850° F.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
In the process of claim 1 wherein in step (f) said solid material is comprised of an active metal selected from the group consisting of Mg 2 Ni, MischmetalNi 14 .5 Al 0 .5, TiFe 0 .8 Ni 0 .2, LaCo 5 , LaCo 4 Ni, or LaNi 4 Al.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
In the process of claim 9 wherein the hydride reaction of step (f) is carried out at temperature above 100° F. and decomposition of the hydride in step (g) is carried out at temperature below 850° F.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-05-16 | 1986-11-15 | 1987-05-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-05-16 | 1990-11-15 | 1991-05-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-05-16 | 1994-11-15 | 1995-05-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |