Microwave catalytic reactor for upgrading stranded shale gas to aromatics | AIChE

Microwave catalytic reactor for upgrading stranded shale gas to aromatics

TitleMicrowave catalytic reactor for upgrading stranded shale gas to aromatics
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2019
AuthorsBai, X, Robinson, B, Killmer, C, Wang, Y, Li, L, Hu, J
JournalFuel
Volume243
Pagination485–492
Date Publishedmay
ISSN00162361
Keywords6.7, Catalysis, Microwave, Natural gas conversion, Natural Gas Upgrading, Project 6.7, Zeolite
Abstract

Microwave (MW) catalytic processing has been applied to science discovery in a number of research fields. The potential of MW assisted catalysis in direct ethane dehydroaromatization was explored in this study. Under MW irradiation, significant enhancement in ethane conversion to aromatics was achieved at 400 °C which otherwise would take up to 600 °C in a thermally heated fixed-bed reactor. The role of MW irradiation in activating ethane over the catalyst and the reaction mechanism were elucidated. The results showed that MW could possibly induce the formation of dipoles on catalyst surface, facilitating electron shifting and sharing between catalyst and reaction intermediates. This activation process has significantly lowered activation energy, allowing the reaction to proceed under lower bulk temperature with enhanced aromatic yield.

URLhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016236119301486
DOI10.1016/j.fuel.2019.01.147