Modeling of oxidative coupling of methane in fluidized bed reactor

Ethylene is one of the most important petrochemical industry products that is synthesized by different processes. One of these processes is oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). A bubbling fluidized-bed (BFB) reactor for the ethylene synthesis by OCM was simulated employing “bubble assemblage model” and the hydrodynamic structure of the BFB reactor was characterized for the PbO/g −Al2O3 catalyst particles. These model predictions were comparing with simulation results and experimental data reported by Mleczko (Mleczko et. al. 1991). In this model, overall gas phase distribution in bubbles and emulsion phases was taking into consideration that estimated by using local bubble gas holdup parameter in the bed but in model of Mleczko the gas flows through the bubble phase only. It caused that simulation results come near the experimental data. These model predictions indicated that with increasing temperature and partial pressure of methane leads to higher C2 yield. The C2 yield also increased with decreasing mole ratio of methane to oxygen and gas velocity.

Keywords:

BFB reactor , bubble assemblage model , OCM , modeling