EP-4735379-A1 - INTEGRATED PROCESS FOR METHANE PRODUCTION AND DRY METHANE REFORMING

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to integrated processes for the production of methane and its use in dry methane reforming. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides process for producing a stream containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the process comprising: providing a methane synthesis feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide; contacting the methane synthesis feed stream with a methane synthesis catalyst (e.g., in a methane synthesis reactor) to form a methane synthesis product stream comprising methane and water; providing a dry methane reformation feed stream comprising carbon dioxide and at least a portion of the methane of the methane synthesis product stream; contacting the dry methane reformation feed stream with a dry methane reformation catalyst (e.g., in a dry methane reformation reactor) to produce a dry methane reformer product stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Inventors

• PATERSON, ALEXANDER JAMES

Assignees

• BP P.L.C.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240628

Claims (19)

1. 1 . A process for producing an H 2 /CO stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the process comprising: providing a methane synthesis feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide; contacting the methane synthesis feed stream with a methane synthesis catalyst (e.g., in a methane synthesis reactor) to form a methane synthesis product stream comprising methane and water; providing a dry methane reformation feed stream comprising carbon dioxide and at least a portion of the methane of the methane synthesis product stream; contacting the dry methane reformation feed stream with a dry methane reformation catalyst (e.g., in a dry methane reformation reactor) to produce a dry methane reformer product stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
2. 2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the methane synthesis feed stream comprises a hydrogen gas and carbon dioxide in a molar ratio in the range of from 1 :1 to 6:1 .
3. 3. The process of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein contacting the methane synthesis feed stream with the methane synthesis catalyst is performed with a selectivity for methane of at least 80% and with a C5+ hydrocarbon selectivity of no more 10%.
4. 4. The process of any of claims 1 -3, wherein the methane synthesis product stream comprises at least 30 vol% methane.
5. 5. The process of any of claims 1 -4, wherein the dry methane reformation feed stream comprises no more than 10 vol% water.
6. 6. The process of any of claims 1 -5, wherein the dry methane reformation feed stream comprises no more than 10 vol% oxygen.
7. 7. The process of any of claims 1 -6, further comprising electrolyzing water to form a hydrogen gas containing stream, and providing at least a portion of the hydrogen gas containing stream to the methane synthesis feed stream, wherein the electrolyzing is performed using electricity from a renewable source.
8. 8. The process of any of claims 1 -7, wherein the carbon dioxide of the methane synthesis feed stream comprises at least 50%, at least 75%, at least 90%, or at least 95% captured carbon dioxide and/or carbon dioxide from biomass gasification
9. 9. The process of any of claims 1 -8, wherein provision of at least a portion of the methane of the methane synthesis product stream to the dry methane reformation feed stream comprises separating at least a portion of the water from the methane of the methane synthesis product stream.
10. 10. The process of any of claims 1 -9, wherein the process comprises electrolyzing at least a portion of the separated water to form a hydrogen gas containing stream and an oxygen gas containing stream, and providing at least a portion of the hydrogen gas to the methane synthesis feed stream, the process further comprising providing at least a portion of the separated water as a feed to the electrolyzing.
11. 11 . The process of any of claims 1 -10, wherein the methane synthesis product stream comprises carbon dioxide, and wherein at least a portion of the carbon dioxide of the methane synthesis product stream is provided to the dry methane reformation feed.
12. 12. The process of any of claims 1 -11 , wherein the process further comprises providing at least a portion of the dry methane reformer product stream to the H 2 /CO stream (e.g., providing the dry methane reformer product stream as the H 2 /CO stream).
13. 13. The process of any of claims 1 -12, wherein the process further comprises adjusting the methane reformer product stream to provide an H 2 /CO stream containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a H 2 :CO ratio in the range of 1 .5:1 to 3:1 .
14. 14. A process for the production of hydrocarbons, the process comprising providing an H 2 /CO stream containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide according to the process of any of claims 1-13; providing a Fischer-Tropsch feed stream comprising the stream containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide; contacting the Fischer-Tropsch feed stream with a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst (e.g., in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor) to produce a Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising C5+ hydrocarbons.
15. 15. The process of claim 14, further comprising separating a light hydrocarbon stream from the Fischer-Tropsch product stream, and orovidino at least a portion of the light hydrocarbon stream to a partial oxidation reactor, and reacting the light hydrocarbon stream with oxygen in the partial oxidation reactor to produce a partial oxidation product stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
16. 16. The process of claim 14 or claim 15, wherein the process comprises electrolyzing water to produce a hydrogen gas containing stream and an oxygen gas containing stream, wherein at least a portion of the oxygen gas containing stream is provided to the partial oxidation reactor.
17. 17. The process of any of any of claims 15-16, wherein the partial oxidation product stream comprises carbon dioxide, wherein the process further comprises providing at least a portion of the carbon dioxide of the partial oxidation product stream to at least one of the methane synthesis feed stream and the dry methane reformation feed stream.
18. 18. A process for producing a H 2 /CO stream containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the processing comprising: providing a dry methane reformation feed stream comprising biogenic carbon dioxide and biomethane; contacting the dry methane reformation stream with a dry methane reformation catalyst to produce a dry methane reformer product stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen; and optionally adjusting the methane reformer product stream to provide a stream containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide with a H 2 :CO ratio in the range of 1 .5:1 to 3:1 .
19. 19. A process for the production of hydrocarbons, the process comprising providing a H 2 /CO stream containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide according to the method of any of claim 18; and providing a Fischer-Tropsch feed stream comprising the stream containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide; contacting (e.g., in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor) the Fischer-Tropsch feed stream with a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst to produce a Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising hydrocarbons, water and optionally oxygenated hydrocarbons.

Description

INTEGRATED PROCESS FOR METHANE PRODUCTION AND DRY METHANE REFORMING CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 23182234.7, filed June 28, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE FIELD [0002] The present disclosure relates to integrated processes for the production of methane and also dry methane reforming. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND [0003] The conversion of synthesis gas into hydrocarbons by the Fischer-Tropsch process has been known for many years. The growing importance of alternative energy sources has resulted in renewed interest in the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process as it allows an alternative route to high-quality fuels and feedstock chemicals through use of bio-derived carbon sources. [0004] FT processes are typically used to produce linear hydrocarbons, which can be used in the production of fuels, as well as oxygenates which can also be useful in the production of fuels and otherwise serve as valuable feedstock chemicals. [0005] A variety of transition metals have been identified to be catalytically active in the conversion of synthesis gas into hydrocarbons and oxygenated derivatives thereof. In particular, cobalt, nickel, and iron have been studied, often in combination with a support material, of which the most common are alumina, silica and carbon. [0006] Typically, Fischer-Tropsch reactions utilize carbon monoxide as the carbon source due to its increased reactivity compared to carbon dioxide. But utilization of carbon dioxide is of great interest due to its prevalence as a waste gas and low cost, and it would be desirable to use carbon dioxide as an ultimate feedstock to a Fischer-Tropsch process. [0007] Accordingly, there remains a need to develop processes to more efficiently utilize carbon dioxide in the production of hydrocarbons. SUMMARY [0008] The present inventors have developed integrated processes for the production of methane and its use in dry methane reforming to provide an H2/CO stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide. [0009] Thus, in one aspect, the disclosure provides a process for producing an H2/CO stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the process comprising: providing a methane synthesis feed stream comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide; contacting the methane synthesis feed stream with a methane synthesis catalyst (e.g., in a methane synthesis reactor) to form a methane synthesis product stream comprising methane and water; providing a dry methane reformation feed stream comprising carbon dioxide and at least a portion of the methane of the methane synthesis product stream; contacting the dry methane reformation feed stream with a dry methane reformation catalyst (e.g., in a dry methane reformation reactor) to produce a dry methane reformer product stream comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen. At least a portion of the dry methane reformer product can be provided to the H2/CO stream. [0010] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a process for the production of hydrocarbons, the process comprising providing an H2/CO stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide according to the methods as described herein; and providing a Fischer-Tropsch feed stream comprising the H2/CO stream; contacting (e.g., in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor) the Fischer-Tropsch feed stream with a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst to produce a Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising hydrocarbons, water and optionally oxygenated hydrocarbons. [0011] Other aspects of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the description that follows. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] FIG. 1 provides a process schematic according to one embodiment of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0013] The inventors have noted that one possible way to use carbon dioxide in a Fischer-Tropsch process is through the so-called “reverse water gas shift reaction,” in which carbon dioxide is reacted with hydrogen to produce carbon monoxide and water. The produced carbon monoxide may then, together with hydrogen, be subjected to a Fisher- Tropsch synthesis. However, this conversion conventionally requires exceptionally high temperatures, often in excess of 900 °C, and thus may be energetically unfavorable. [0014] The present inventors have devised an alternative scheme for the use of carbon dioxide in hydrocarbon synthesis. The present inventors have noted that carbon dioxide and hydrogen can be reacted to substantially form methane (i.e., instead of to substantially form carbon monoxide as in the reverse water-gas shift), The present inventors have noted that methane, in turn, can be converted to carbon monoxide by reaction with carbon dioxide in a dry methane reforming process. These processes can be performed at relatively low temperatures, and thus can provide significant advantages over processes operating through the intermediary of a reverse water-gas