Claims
- 1. A method for upgrading a low value hydrocarbon which comprises:
- (a) introducing into a reaction zone containing at least one plasma initiator capable of initiating an electric discharge in an electromagnetic field a feed stream, wherein said feed stream contains
- (1) a hydrogen donor with the proviso that if the hydrogen donor is not molecular hydrogen, then molecular hydrogen is added in an amount sufficient to maintain activity of the plasma initiator,
- (2) from about 0.02 to about 20 wt% water, based on the feed stream, and
- (3) low value hydrocarbon;
- (b) subjecting the reaction zone to microwave radiation having a frequency of at least 0.3 GHz thereby initiating an electric discharge; and
- (c) cracking the hydrogen donor in the presence of the electric discharge thereby upgrading at least a portion of the low value hydrocarbon.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plasma initiator is a metal, a non-metal other than silica or a composite of metal and non-metal.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the metal is tungsten, iron, nickel, copper, their alloys, or mixtures thereof.
- 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the non-metal is iron oxide, carbon, calcium aluminate or mixtures thereof.
- 5. The method of claim 3 wherein the metal is tungsten, iron or mixtures thereof.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of carbon based on carbon in the molecules in contact with the plasma initiator to hydrogen is less than 6:1 during upgrading.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of initiators are present in the reaction zone.
- 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the amount of water is from about 0.1 to about 5 wt%.
- 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the feed stream pressure is from about 10 torr to about 15 atm.
- 10. The method of claim 9 wherein the feed stream pressure is from about 1 to about 2 atm.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-art of U.S. Ser. No. 457,603, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,998, filed Dec. 27, 1989.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry |
Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Sax and Lewis, Sr., New York, p. 1232. |
Gasner et al., "Microwave and conventional pyrolysis of a bituminous coal", Chemical Abstracts 106: 7281h (1987). |
Tanaka et al., "A Stoicheiometric Conversion of CO.sub.2 +CH.sub.4 into 2 CO+2 H.sub.2 by Microwave Discharge", J. Chem. Soc., Chem. Commun., pp. 921-922 (1982). |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
457603 |
Dec 1989 |
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