C2H2 production from hydrocarbons

The shock against benzene produced H2, light alkanes from Ci to C3, light alkenes from C2 to C3, C2H2, and aromatic hydrocarbons witli molecular weights ranging from 102 (phenylacetylene) to 306 (quaterphenyl). Tliis reaction produced H2, CH4, polyphenyl compounds such as biphenyl, terphenyl, and quaterphenyl. Otlier major products were naphthalene, fluorene, trans-stilbene, phe-nanthrene, isomers of phenylnaphthalene and chrysene. The shock produced ethenyl in greater abundance than etliyl derivatives. 

The effect of reaction temperature on hydrocarbon product distribution is illustrated in Figure 7 for runs carried out at a constant C2H2 WHS V of 3.2 hr1 and a [H2OMC2H2] value of 0.4 and temperatures ranging from 175 to 450 °C. 

In a discharge in a static reactor, initial pressures of mixtures of H2 + CO of 12 and 50 ton gave conversions of CO to CHh + C2H2 of approximately 20% for reaction times of 1/2 to four minutes. When water was added to the reactants, formation of hydrocarbons was repressed. Conversion of CO was increased to more than 90% when the reaction products were removed by a cold trap as they formed. With H2 + CO2) no hydrocarbons were formed unless water was frozen out. The different conversions of CO and C02 can be explained by assuming that the reaction reaches a stationary state or pseudo-equilibrium. When reaction products are removed from the discharge by being frozen out, the stationary state shifts according to Le Chateliers principle and more hydrocarbons are formed. 

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