GEAR FOR DIRECT THERMAL CONVERSION OF METHANE Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: chemical industry. SUBSTANCE: invention refers to gear for direct thermal conversion of methane to hydrocarbons of large molecular mass which includes reactor made of refractory material and placed into metal air-tight casing of cylindrical form coaxially to its symmetry axis. Operational space of it includes zone of preliminary heating predominantly thanks to convective heat transfer from reaction products, zone of following high-temperature heating to conversion temperature of methane, zone of curing of heated mixture and zone of tempering of reaction products, heater electrically coupled to power supply source positioned outside of reactor, fixtures to feed reaction mixture and discharge reaction products, instruments to control and adjust heating temperature and pressure. In addition gear has equipment to supply reaction mixture under pressure above atmospheric value, equipment to inject inert gas into its space to create on surface of reactor pressure counterbalancing pressure of reaction mixture from inside, pair of electrodes of heater brought to outer surface of reactor in zone of high-temperature heating of reaction mixture, diffuser-flash tank to cure heated mixture under adiabatic condition placed between operational zones of high-temperature heating of methane-carrying mixture and tempering of reaction products which couples these zones. Reactor is made of current-conducting high-resistance material and has form of cylindrical body with base radius R equivalent in zones of high-temperature heating and tempering and with radius R₁, ( R₁>R > R ) in zone of diffuser-flash tank with sealing plug in one end. Cylindrical separating tube is mounted uniaxially in its space along entire length and has base radius R₂, ( R₂<R, <R ). It forms working spaces in circular clearances between outer surface of tube and regions of inner surface of reactor in zones of high-temperature heating of reaction mixture, curing of heated mixture in diffuser-flash tank and tempering of reaction products. The latter zone is coupled to unit for discharge of reaction products beyond the limits of reactor and to clearance between end of tube and plug. Second end of separating tube is connected to equipment supplying reaction mixture and has in its space fixture in the form of rod mounted with circular clearance between inner surface of separating tube and surface of rod, concentric on circular clearance of tempering zone, equal to it in length and forming working space of zone for preliminary heating of reaction mixture coupled through clearance between end of tube and plug to other working areas of reactor. EFFECT: increased characteristics of production of end product. 3 cl, 1 dwg