Effect of Reaction Conditions on the Formation of the Products of Oxidative Pyrolysis of Methane on the Resistive Fechral Catalyst

The effect of reaction conditions (methane concentration, flow rate, catalyst position, gas dynamic mode) on methane pyrolysis within temperature range 700-1200 degrees C on preliminarily annealed Fechral wire heated with electric current, at a ratio CH4/O-2 = 15 : 1 was investigated. It was shown that independently of conditions the process runs in two temperature regions differing in the selectivity of the formation of major products -C-2 hydrocarbons. Reaction conditions have a substantial effect on methane conversion and selectivity with respect to reaction products. The maximal selectivity with respect to C-2 products can be achieved with the transversal coil position to the gas flow and with the use of flow-circulation set-up instead of flow one. An increase in methane concentration in the initial mixture has ambiguous effect on the selectivity with respect to C-2 hydrocarbons within different temperature ranges: for temperature not higher than 1000 degrees C, this causes an increase in selectivity with respect to ethylene and acetylene, while at 1000 degrees C and above this causes a decrease in selectivity with respect to these components.