Partial oxidation noncatalytic

Noncatalytic partial oxidation of residual fuel oil accounts for the remainder of world methanol production. Shell and Texaco ate the predominant hcensors for partial oxidation technology (16) the two differ principally in the mechanical details of mixing the feedstock and oxidant, in waste heat recovery, and in soHds management. 

As the molecular weight of the hydrocarbon increases (lower H/C feed ratio), the H2/CO product ratio decreases. The H2/CO product ratio is approximately 3 for methane, 2.5 for ethane, 2.1 for heptane, and less than 2 for heavier hydrocarbons. Noncatalytic partial oxidation of hydrocarbons is also used to produce synthesis gas, but the H2/CO ratio is lower than from steam reforming ... 

It is of interest to assess the process potential of methanol production by a direct partial oxidation of methane. This way the steam reformer and the shift reactor can be saved, and the catalytic methanol reactor can be replaced by a noncatalytic partial oxidation reactor. It is estimated that direct partial oxidation is competitive if a conversion of methane of at least 5.5% can be obtained with a methanol selectivity of at least 80%. 

Partial Oxidation. Noncatalytic partial oxidation processes (see Fig. 22.6) react hydrocarbons with gaseous oxygen at very high... 

The noncatalytic partial oxidation of hydrocarbons by the Shell gasification process (SGP) takes place in a refractory-lined reactor that uses a specially designed burner. The oxidant is preheated and then mixed with steam... 

CPO, ATR, and noncatalytic partial oxidation (POX) of methane all share the same POX chemistry ... 

Several processes, including noncatalytic partial oxidation (POX), catalytic partial oxidation (CPO), and ATR may be used to perform partial oxidation of hydrocarbons. In all cases, some or all of the reactions listed in Table 4 are involved. Normally, these reactions are accompanied by the steam-reforming and shift reactions. The oxidation reactions are irreversible at all conditions of practical interest. 

The noncatalytic partial oxidation of fuel oil converts petroleum feedstock into synthesis gas, C02, CH4, and H2S if any sulfur is present. This process has the ability to handle sulfur compounds without pretreatment (sulfur removal). Eliminating a processing step from steam reforming techniques, however, requires additional equipment for oxygen addition in the reactor. The expected carbon deposition problem with hydrocarbon material containing low H C ratios is limited by the use of carbon recovery and extinction recycle schemes [28], The partial oxidation of fuel oil typically operates at a temperature range of 1200-1500°C and pressures of 30-80 bars in a refractory-lined reactor. 

At present, natural gas and light hydrocarbons are the predominant feedstocks for the production of synthesis gas. Synthesis gas can also be produced from heavy hydrocarbons or coal, but in that case noncatalytic partial oxidation processes will be used (see the section Hydrocarbon Steam Reforming). 

Supp, E. (1997) Noncatalytic partial oxidation and special gasification processes for higherboiling hydrocarbons, in UUmann s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, Fifth Edition on CD-ROM, Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH, Wdnheim. 

Foral MJ. The noncatalytic partial oxidation of natural gas to methanol. In Preprints, symposium on natural gas upgrading II, 203d National meeting of the American chemical society. Division of petroleum chemistry, San Francisco, CA. Washington, DC American Chemical Society April 5—10,1992. p. 34—40. 

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