Veolia North America Regeneration Services, LLC

Other

Grillo Chemie Gmbh

Veolia North American Regeneration Services, LLC

Richards, Alan K.

Alan K Richards

Timo Ott

John R Jackson

Ingo Biertümpel

Klaus Bunthoff

A method for recovering a distillable, anhydrous methane-sulfonic acid (MSA) liquid phase from an anhydrous 2-phase gas-liquid mixture wherein the anhydrous 2-phase gas-liquid mixture is generated by sulfonating methane (CH) with sulfur trioxide (SO) in an MSA-forming reactor, or reactor system, according to a radical chain reaction wherein the method comprises (i) separating the gas phase from the liquid phase, (ii) passing the separated liquid phase into a stripping column, and (iii) recovering the stripped anhydrous liquid phase.

Method for removing SOand CHfrom mixtures which contain methane sulfonic acid

Improved initiators, solvents, and SO3 mixtures are disclosed herein, which can increase the yields and efficiency of a chemical manufacturing process which uses a radical chain reaction to convert methane (CH4), which is a gas under any normal conditions, into methane-sulfonic acid (MSA), a liquid. MSA is useful and valuable in its own right, and it also can be processed to create desulfured fuels and other valuable chemicals. A preferred initiator combination has been identified, comprising at least two different sulfate peroxide compounds. One type or class of initiator can be called a 'primary' (or major, main, principle, dominant, or similar terms) initiator, and the other type or class of initiator can be can be regarded as an 'extender' (or secondary, supplemental, enhancing, tuning, tweaking, or similar terms) initiator. &#x201c;Primary&#x201d; initiator(s) include (unmethylated) Marshall's acid, mono-methyl-Marshall's acid, and di-methyl-Marshall's acid, while a secondary/extender initiator comprises methyl-Caro's acid, which can oxidize sulfur DI-oxide (an unwanted chain terminator) into sulfur TRI-oxide (an essential reagent). Various other enhancements to the MSA manufacturing process also are described.

Radical initiators and chain extenders for converting methane gas into methane-sulfonic acid

Methods and machinery are described for combining methane with sulfur trioxide to make MSA, in a system that sustains optimal concentrations of reactants in the main reactor for high yields, efficiency, and profitability. Rather than simply making MSA and then removing it, this design uses a 'continuous loop system' with: (i) a 'rich acid' stream containing a high concentration of MSA, mixed with sulfuric acid, which will emerge from the main reactor, and (ii) a &#x201c;reduced acid&#x201d; stream containing a low concentration of MSA (still mixed with sulfuric acid), from an extractor unit (such as a distillation unit) which removes some but not all of the MSA from the &#x201c;rich acid&#x201d;. Additional subassemblies are described which enable the main reactor to work efficiently, at a sustained high flow-through capacity. This system also can be scaled up or down, for any daily MSA production rate.

Integrated processing system with continuous acid loop for converting methane to methane-sulfonic acid

Improved initiators, solvents, and SO3 mixtures are disclosed which can increase the yields and efficiency of a process which converts methane gas into methane-sulfonic acid (MSA). MSA is valuable in its own right, or it can be processed to create desulfured fuels and other chemicals. Preferred initiators have been identified, comprising at least one 'primary' initiator, and at least one 'extender' (or secondary, supplemental, enhancing, tuning, tweaking, or similar terms) initiator. &#x201c;Primary&#x201d; initiator(s) include (unmethylated) Marshall's acid, mono-methyl-Marshall's acid, and di-methyl-Marshall's acid, while a secondary/extender initiator comprises methyl-Caro's acid, which can oxidize sulfur DI-oxide (an unwanted chain terminator) into sulfur TRI-oxide (an essential reagent). Other enhancements to the MSA manufacturing process also are described.

A process for preparing alkanesulfonic acids from sulfur trioxide and an alkane, wherein sulfur trioxide, the alkane and dialkylsulfonoyi peroxide (DASP) react as components, characterized in that the following steps are performed: a) sulfur trioxide is charged in a high-pressure reactor in a condensed phase; b) a temperature of at least 25&#xb0; C. is set; c) the gaseous alkane is introduced to the high-pressure reactor until a pressure of at least 10 bar is reached; d) dialkylsulfonoyi peroxide (DASP) is added; and e) after a duration of at least 5 hours, the produced alkanesulfonic acid is withdrawn.

Process for preparing alkanesulfonic acids from sulfur trioxide and an alkane

Anhydrous processing to convert methane into oxygenates (such as methanol), liquid fuels, or olefins uses an initiator to create methyl radicals. These radicals combine with sulfur trioxide to form methyl-sulfonate radicals. These radicals attack fresh methane, forming stable methane-sulfonic acid (MSA) while creating new methyl radicals to sustain a chain reaction. This system avoids the use or creation of water, and liquid MSA is an amphoteric solvent that increasing the solubility and reactivity of methane and SO. MSA from this process can be sold or used as a valuable chemical with no mercaptan or halogen impurities, or it can be heated and cracked to release methanol (a clean fuel, gasoline additive, and chemical feedstock) and sulfur dioxide (which can be oxidized to SOand recycled back into the reactor). MSA also can be converted into gasoline, olefins, or other valuable chemicals.

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Palm City, FL, United States of America

Alan K Richards