Agency of Industrial Science and Technology

Rumiana Tzoneva

Hiroshi Sakaguchi

Takahiro Sato

Tomokazu Yoshimura

Disclosed are a method of solidifying a low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon (including hydrocarbons which are gaseous at ordinary temperature) is brought into contact with a metal salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid, and if necessary a high-boiling-point hydrocarbon, suspended in water, to form a solid aggregate substance, a method of handling the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the solid aggregate substance is stored or transported, and a method of regenerating the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the solid aggregate substance is decomposed by opening or heating, to obtain the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon. According to the methods, a wide variety of gaseous and highly volatile liquid hydrocarbons can be safely and easily solidified without using harmful reagent, and during storage, transportation, etc., the gaseous hydrocarbons and highly volatile liquids can be handled as a solid material. Further, by releasing under atmospheric pressure at room temperature or by heating if necessary, the original hydrocarbons can be easily obtained, and the metal salt of a carboxylic acid can also be repeatedly used.

Methods of solidifying low-boiling-point hydrocarbon and handling the same, and regeneration thereof

Disclosed are a method of solidifying a low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon (including hydrocarbons which are gaseous at ordinary temperature) is brought into contact with a metal salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid, and if necessary a high-boiling-point hydrocarbon, suspended in water, to form a solid aggregate substance, a method of handling the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the solid aggregate substance is stored or transported, and a method of regenerating the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon, wherein the solid aggregate substance is decomposed by opening or heating, to obtain the low-boiling-point hydrocarbon. According to the methods, a wide variety of gaseous and highly volatile liquid hydrocarbons can be safely and easily solidified without using harmful reagent, and during storage, transportation, etc., the gaseous hydrocarbons and highly volatile liquids can be handled as a solid material. Further, by releasing under atmospheric pressure at room temperature or by heating if necessary, the original hydrocarbons can be easily obtained.

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Sofia, Bulgaria

Rumiana Tzoneva