Use of Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane as a Supplemental Catalytic Reactor Configuration for Oxidative Coupling of Methane Process as an Alternative Way to Increase C2H4 Amount

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the increase of ethylene production in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) process and oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (ODHE) as a supplemental process in a consecutive reactor media. The proposed configuration would improve the operative conditions and enhance ethylene production in consecutive reactors. In this new structure, the ODHE process followed the OCM process to convert the ethane produced in the OCM process to ethylene, thereby increasing the ethylene yield. The proposed model results have been compared with the data of the conventional OCM reactor. In addition, the effects of reactant ratio, temperature, and pressure were evaluated on the conversions of reactants, product yields, and selectivities. The results showed that increasing the CH₄/O₂ ratio in the input feed to the coupled reactor reduced the ethylene yield by 0.3%. In addition, increasing contact time increased the ethane conversion rate in the ODHE process. In this new structure for each case, the reactor performance was analyzed based on methane and ethane conversion rates, respectively, in OCM and ODHE processes. An experimental proof-of-concept is required to create validity and safe operation of a new reactor.