The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 13, 2002
Filed:
Jun. 09, 2000
Joel G. Cantrell, College Station, TX (US);
Bryan Research & Engineering, Inc., Bryan, TX (US);
Abstract
An improved process for the conversion of normally gaseous methane-containing hydrocarbon mixtures, such as natural gas, to a normally liquid hydrocarbon product comprises separating the methane component of the gaseous mixture from the heavier hydrocarbon component, cracking the separated heavier: hydrocarbon component at a relatively low temperature and optionally cracking the methane component at a relatively high temperature. The low temperature cracking product and any high temperature cracking product are separated into a light product of principally hydrogen and a heavy product comprising unsaturated hydrocarbons. This heavy product is reacted with methane in the presence of an acidic alkalization catalyst. The resulting product mixture is separated into a light product, a portion of which is recycled, and the normally liquid hydrocarbon product.