Oxco process

If it is not possible to use a fixed-bed reactor for the OXCO process, some form of fluidised-beo reactor will be necessary. Heat removal and temperature control are greatly facilitated in fluidised-beds because of the excellent backmixing of the solid phase. Considerable opportunity also exists to vary the mode of gas/solids contact by operation in either the bubbling, turbulent or fast (circulating) fluidised-bed regimes. 

As an example, the "Oxco" process (Edwards et al., 1991) shown in Figure 17 is based on a fluidized bed reactor with oxidative conversion of methane (reaction (28)) taking place on a... 

Figure. 17. Simplified Flowscheme of the OXCO-process (Edwards et al., 1991).

Oxco [Oxidative coupling] A process for converting natural gas to transport fuels and chemicals, based on the oxidative coupling of methane to ethane in a fluidized-bed reactor. Developed in Australia by the Division of Coal and Energy Technology, CSIRO, and BHP. 

This paper outlines the OXCO chemistry and process concept and presents methane conversion and product selectivity data obtained in a small-scale fixed-bed reactor. The implications of these results for the design of a large-scale OXCO reactor are then briefly discussed. 

The conceptual process for the production of liquid fuels from methane by the OXCO route is shown in Fig. 1. In addition to the OXCO reactor it includes facilities for removal of reaction byproducts, recovery of the C2+ hydrocarbons and the production of liquid fuels by ethylene oligomerisation. 

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