Microwave-assisted conversion of ethane to ethylene

A novel microwave reactor has been constructed for the conversion of ethane to ethylene. The bench-top, pilot-scale facility is capable of conventional furnace heating and microwave-assisted heating, thus allowing direct comparative studies between the conventional industry-wide process and the novel microwave-assisted conversion process. The latter makes use of chemical substances called susceptors that are good microwave absorbers and can transfer heat energy to the surrounding environment. The ethane feed stream is thus heated to achieve thermal conversion to ethylene. Data validating the apparatus and preliminary data on the feasibility of conversion are presented.