Ethylene Production from Methane in a Gas Recycle Electrocatalytic Reactor Separator

It was found that methane can be oxidatively coupled to ethylene with an ethylene yield up to 85% and a total C(2) hydrocarbon yield up to 88%, in a novel gas-recycle electrocatalytic reactor-separator where the recycled gas passes continuously through a molecular sieve trap in the recycle loop. The molecular sieve traps and thus protects a controllable percentage of ethylene and ethane produced during each gas cycle. These products are obtained by subsequent heating of the trap. In this way we have obtained, using the batch operating mode of the recycle reactor, ethylene yields up to 85%, i.e. 88% selectivity to ethylene at 97% CH(4) conversion. Oxygen is supplied electrochemically to the Ag-Sm(2)O(3) or Ag anode via a solid electrolyte, i.e. Y(2)O(3)-stabilized-ZrO(2), which is a O(2-) conductor. The cathode is exposed to ambient air and the electrocatalytic reactor operates at 750-830 degrees C.