Advanced reactor concepts for oxidative coupling of methane

Abstract

Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) has been investigated as an interesting way to obtain higher hydrocarbons from natural gas. The aim of this article is to evaluate the reactor concepts for oxidative coupling of methane, from the 1980s through the current state of the art, giving a general insight into the reactor engineering possibilities and perspectives of application of OCM in large scale reactors. The concepts were classified according to the type of reactor bed, the heat management system, the oxygen feeding policy, the degree of integration with separation units, the relative cost, and the current demonstration on industrial scale.