METHOD OF PREPARING ETHYLENE OXIDE FROM METHANE Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: chemical industry. SUBSTANCE: described is method of preparing ethylene oxide from methane which comprises diluting mixture of methane and oxygen with nitrogen, adding organochlorine compound, conducting reaction of dimerization of methane in the presence of catalyst, catalytic reaction of oxidation of ethylene is thereafter conducted, and ethylene oxide is isolated from the resulting mixture. Method comprises using original mixture at ratio of 38-65 vol % of methane, 18-20 vol.% of oxygen and 20-50 vol % of nitrogen using composition x Me₂O•(1-x)SnO₂ or x MeO•(1-x)SnO₂, wherein Me is Li, Na or Ca; x is 0.05-0.15. Reaction is carried out at temperatures ranging from 760-820 C and contact time of 0.5-1.0 s, and gas separation stage is avoided, ethylene to oxygen ratio is corrected to value of 1:1.2-3.5 in reaction gases with oxygen to value of 1:1.2-3.5 and second stage is carried out on catalyst comprising 30% of Ag/α-Al₂O₃ or 5% BaO-30% Ag/α-Al₂O₃ at reaction temperatures ranging from 245 to 290 C. EFFECT: improved well known methods of processing methane and increased efficiency of process of synthesis of ethylene oxide. 3 cl, 15 ex, 1 tbl