Turbulent Fluidized Bed (TFB) reactors appears to be ideal for exothermic and fast reactions such as catalytic oxidation of methane. In this paper, a use of TFB reactor for two catalytic oxidation of methane: catalytic combustion of methane and catalytic selective oxidation of methane for the ethylene synthesis is described. Catalytic fluidized bed combustion of methane is shown to be an emerging technology capable of meeting all environmental constraints as far as nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide are concerned. This reaction carried out in both the bubbling and the turbulent regimes at 450-500℃ shows that the turbulent regime is more favourable. A self-sustained combustion with complete conversion and a zero emission of NOx and CO was achieved with a mixture of 4% methane in air at 500℃. The two-phase model of Werther [1990], which phenomenologically introduces the enhancement factor due to chemical reaction, predicts quite well the combustor performance. The same model but without enhancement factor (slower reactions) predicts satisfactorily the experimental data for the oxidative coupling of methane and can be used to quantify the influence of homogeneous and catalytic reactions.
Massimilla L, "In Fluidization," 2nd edition Academic Press, New York, 1985
May WG, Chem. Eng. Prog., 55, 49, 1959
Miwa K, Mori S, Kato T, Muchi I, Chem. Eng., 12, 187, 1972
Mleczko L, Andorf R, Baerns M, "Prediction of the Performance of a Fluidized Bed Reactor for the Catalytic Oxidative Methane Coupling to C2 Hydrocarbons," AIChE Annual Meeting, Nov.,, 11-16, Chicago, 1990
Mori S, Wen CY, AIChE J., 20, 109, 1975
Rowe PN, MacGillivray HJ, "Fluidization," Edited by Grace, J.R. and Matsen J.M., New York, 545, 1980
van Deemter JJ, Chem. Eng. Sci., 3, 143, 1961
van Swaij VPM, Zuiderweg FJ, Proc. Inter. Symp. on Fluidization and Its Applications. Edited by Cepadues, Toulouse, France, 454, 1973
van Swaij VPM, ACS Symp. Ser., 72, 193, 1978
Wen CY, "Chemical Reaction in Fluidized Beds," In Recent Advances in the Engineering Analysis of Chemically Reacting Systems," Edited by Doraisamy, L.K., Wiler Eastern, New Delhi, 256, 1984
Werther J, Int. Chem. Eng., 20(4), 529, 1980
Zenz FA, Ind. Eng. Chem., 41, 2801, 1949
Zhang W, Tung Y, Johnson F, Chem. Eng. Sci., 46, 3045, 1991