Production of gas mixtures with regulated ratios between ethylene and carbon monoxide by the gas-phase oxidative cracking of light alkanes

It was found that, in the gas-phase oxidative cracking of C-2-C-5 light alkanes, the ratio between ethylene and CO in the products depends on both the residence time in a reactor and the process temperature. This is due to a change in the contributions of product formation and/or consumption channels with increasing the conversion of the reactants. However, the hydrocarbon/oxygen ratio is the main parameter responsible for the limiting ratio between these products reached in the region of deep conversions of both of the reactants. The channels of formation and, correspondingly, the composition of the main products of oxidative cracking change on going from ethane to n-pentane. In this case, the ethylene: CO ratio increases due to an increase in the concentration of ethylene in the products as the number of carbon atoms in the initial alkane molecule is increased at a constant alkane: oxygen ratio. In the oxidative cracking of the C2+ alkane constituents of natural gases, it is necessary to consider the influence of methane, which inhibits the oxidative conversion of heavier alkanes in comparison with their oxidation in an inert gas atmosphere. This leads to a significant decrease in the conversion of oxygen and an increase in the ethylene: CO ratio in the reaction products.