Quarterly Technical Progress Report

Methane oxidative coupling experiments were conducted in a porous gamma alumina membrane reactor using Mn-W-Na/SiOz catalyst, and its performance was compared with a packed reactor. By varying the helium flow rate and keeping the temperature, methane flow rate, and oxygen flow rate constant, the membrane reactor gave 10% higher Cz yield and 30% higher C2 selectivity than the co-feed reactor operated at the same methane conversion. At similar C2 yield and C2 selectivity, the methane conversion of the membrane reactor was 15% lower than that of a co-feed reactor. By varying the oxygen flow rate and keeping the temperature, methane flow rate, and helium flow rate constant, at the same methane conversion, the membrane reactor gave about 3% higher C2 yield and C2 selectivity than the co-feed reactor. Higher helium flow rate gave higher C2 selectivity and yield, whereas changing methane flow rate did not significantly affect the reactor performance.