Ethylene is often referred to as the most crucial chemical in the petrochemical industry because it serves as the raw material for a wide range of everyday products. It is utilized in the production of antifreeze, vinyl, synthetic rubber, foam insulation, and various types of plastics.
However, another method of producing ethylene is through a process known as oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). This process has the potential to be a more environmentally friendly alternative to steam cracking. Until recently, though, the amount of ethylene produced through OCM was not economically feasible.
“Up until now, the catalytic yield for a single pass, which involves passing methane and oxygen through the catalyst to obtain ethylene, has been below 30%,” explains Bar Mosevitzky Lis, a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Lehigh University’s P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
“Studies that have simulated the entire industrial process using OCM have shown that the technology only becomes profitable when the single pass yield reaches between 30 and 35%.”
OCM is now one step closer to transitioning from the laboratory to the real world. Researchers from North Carolina State University (NCSU) and Lehigh University, in collaboration with researchers from the Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion and the East China University of Science and Technology, have successfully developed an OCM catalyst that exceeds 30% in ethylene production.
2024-01-12 20:00:04
Post from phys.org