METHOD FOR FORMALDEHYDE PRODUCTION Russian patent published in 2006 - IPC C07C47/48 

FIELD: organic chemistry, in particular formaldehyde production.

SUBSTANCE: claimed method includes oxidation of hydrocarbon-containing gas with oxygen-containing gas at elevated temperature and pressure followed by reaction mixture cooling and separation of target liquid product. As hydrocarbon-containing gas ethane-containing gas is used, including natural and associated gases containing not less than 10 % of ethane. Ethane-containing gas preliminary pressed up to 2-5 MPa and heated up to 280-450°C, and oxygen-containing gas, preliminary pressed up to pressure of ethane-containing gas or more are separately fed into blenders of arranged in tandem reaction zones up to oxygen content of 2-10 vol.%. Reaction mixture is continuously cooled through wall either directly in oxidation process or before feeding thereof in next reaction zone to temperature not more than 450°C. As oxygen-containing gas air, oxygen or oxygen-enriched air are used.

EFFECT: increased formaldehyde yield, simplified process, decreased energy consumption.

2 cl, 4 ex, 1 tbl, 1 dwg