1791. KLYUKVIN, N. A. AND KLYUKVINA, S. S. [Conversion of Methane. I.] Jour. Chem. Ind., U.S.S.R., vol. 7, 1930, pp. 743-752; Chem. Abs., vol. 25, 1931, p. 4520.

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Literature Abstracts

Investigation deals with conversion of CH₄, industrially available in great quantities as a waste product, into commercial products. Catalytic conversion of CH₄ can be used industrially for the production of H₂. CH₄ and mixtures of CH₄ with CO₂ and with H₂O were passed through porcelain tubes 50 cm. long and 16 mm. in diameter, or Fe tubes 100 cm. long and 22 mm. in diameter heated in an electric oven 28 cm. long. The temperature was measured with a pyrometer provided with a Pt thermocouple and inserted in a quartz tube. The gases were conducted at the rate of 3,000 cc./hr., or 38 sec. of contact. With reduced NiO as catalysts in a porcelain tube only 1.6% CH₄ remained unchanged at 850°, while without a catalyst 69.8% at 850° and 57.2% of CH₄ at 1,000° were recovered. The gas contained also H₂ 94.3 and N₂ 4.1% and showed 99.6% increase in vol. The thermal decomposition of CH₄ may be complicated by side reactions with formation of CO and CO₂, and when no Ni is used, with unsaturated compounds. A mixture of CH₄ and CO₂ (1:1) produced with Ni at 1,000° 97.6% conversion (95% increase in vol.); the reaction is based on the formula: CH₄+CO₂=2 CO+2 H₂. The gas was composed of CO 47, H₂ 48.6, N₂ 2.6% and no byproducts. The formation of CO begins at 700°. An addition of Al₂O₃ to Ni (2:1) does not change the general character of the reaction but retards somewhat the progress of conversion. This experiment repeated without a catalyst gave in a porcelain tube at 1,000° only 43% conversion of CH₄, and in Fe tubes 58%. Under equal conditions, the conversion of CH₄ is in direct proportion to the speed with which the gas is passed through the reaction tube, and at the velocity of 9 l./hr., instead of 3 l./hr., is reduced by 10%.