LYNNTECH INC. — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 11b

Description

The proposed project aims to develop a plasma reactor for efficient conversion of natural gas into commercially viable products. The conversion of natural gas is proposed to be achieved by a plasma-photocatalytic process wherein the main component of natural gas methane will be reacted with a mild oxidant to form methanol. The nonthermal plasma will be utilized both as a source of energetic electrons and excited species as well as UV radiation. During Phase I, a plasma-photocatalytic reactor will be designed. Then methanol conversion experiments will be performed with photocatalysts impregnated into the dielectric medium of the reactor. Additionally effect of minor non-hydrocarbon components of natural gas on methane conversion will be studied. The developed plasma-photocatalytic reactor will be suitable for on-site conversion of natural gas to valuable liquid products such as methanol. This will be a feasible alternative to transportation of compressed natural gas to large plants for centralized processing. Methanol is a valuable chemical commodity with a variety of uses and applications. The traditional uses of methanol are for manufacturing of formaldehyde, acetic acid, methyl methacrylate, and methyl chloride. These chemicals are used widely in the industry for manufacture of plastics, paints, textile chemicals, etc. The area of high growth for methanol in the future is expected from fuel blending, dimethyl ether, methanol-to-olefins, MTBE, biodiesel and marine fuels. Environmental benefits are also gained by the proposed process because instead of flaring a greenhouse gas such as methane to the atmosphere, it is consumed in an economical process.