The goal of this project is to design and demonstrate a core-shell structured multifunctional catalyst for single step conversion of the light components of shale gas into liquid aromatic compounds

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695

Collaborators
West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506
Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA 18015
Susteon Inc., Cary, NC 27513
 

This project aims to design and demonstrate a core-shell structured multifunctional catalyst for single step conversion of the light components of shale gas into liquid aromatic compounds. Operated in a modular oxidative aromatization system (OAS) under a cyclic redox scheme, the novel catalyst and process can significantly improve the value and transportability of stranded natural gas.

It is anticipated that the Oxidative Aromatization System (OAS) will produce high-value liquid aromatics from low-value natural gas: converting flared and rejected methane (C1) and ethane (C2) alone may lead to a >$5 billion/year value creation. Successful completion of the project will result in optimized OAS redox catalysts with superior aromatics yield (>40% per-pass or 90% overall) and stability (<5% deactivation over 100 hours redox cycles). Realization of these goals will significantly de-risk the scale up and commercialization efforts related to the technology.

• Selective Hydrocarbon Combustion (SHC) screening - Seven catalysts screened, four showed satisfactory H2 combustion selectivity (>80%), one showed >200 mol/kgCat-hr activity at 0.1 atm PH2. All four are expected to exceed this activity at >0.5 atm PH2 (based on a reaction order of 1).
• Dehydoaromatization Screening (DHA) Catalyst Screening - 3 or more DHA catalysts screened with > 500 g/kgCat-hr aromatics productivity and > 80% selectivity at <700 °C.
• NCSU discovered a steam-resistant catalyst for ethane and ethylene DHA which shows good benzene yield. This DHA catalyst has shown promise to increase the aromatic yield in oxidative coupling of methane OCM + DHA strategy as proposed in the previous quarter.
• WVU continued to improve the zeolite synthesis efficiency by using the microwave-assisted technique and investigated the synthesis conditions on the zeolite yield, crystalline structure and morphology.
• Susteon further updated the AspenPlus™ models, which was developed in the previous quarter, to include the OCM+DHA/SHC strategy and estimated a 61% reduction in net energy demand.

$999,971

$256,220

NETL — Anthony Zammerilli (anthony.zammerilli@netl.doe.gov or 304-285-4641)
North Carolina State University — Dr. Fanxing Li (fli5@ncsu.edu or 919-515-7328)