Co-Generation of C2 Hydrocarbons and Synthesis Gases from Methane and Carbon Dioxide: a Thermodynamic Analysis

Abstract

This paper deals with thermodynamic chemical equilibrium analysis using the method of direct minimization of Gibbs free energy for all possible CH4 and CO2 reactions. The effects of CO2/CH4 feed ratio, reaction temperature, and system pressure on equilibrium composition, conversion, selectivity and yield were studied. In addition, carbon and no carbon formation regions were also considered at various reaction temperatures and CO2/CH4 feed ratios in the reaction system at equilibrium. It was found that the reaction temperature above 1100 K and CO2/CH4 ratio=1 were favourable for synthesis gas production with H2/CO ratio unity, while carbon dioxide oxidative coupling of methane (CO2 OCM) reaction to produce ethane and ethylene is less favourable thermodynamically. Numerical results indicated that the no carbon formation region was at temperatures above 1000 K and CO2/CH4 ratio larger than 1