Direct conversion of methane to heavier gaseous alkanes using an electron beam
А. В. Пономарев
Abstract
The circulation treatment of methane with 0.5 MeV electron beam in a cyclone-type reactor, which protects the synthesized products from back degradation, has been studied. As a result of the conversion, the content of methane in the circulating gas can be reduced to 30–43 wt%. The main products are C2C5 alkanes, and the ethane content in the mixture can reach almost 40 wt%. By-products are hydrogen and C6C13 high-octane gasoline alkanes. Electron beam treatment can also be used to concentrate helium in natural hydrocarbon mixtures. The key control factors for conversion are the composition of the feedstock, the rate of beam energy deposition in the gas, temperature, and the residence time of the gas components in the beam penetration area. The features of the use of powerful technological DC accelerators are noted.