I. V. Sedov

Platinum Group Metal-Catalysed Carbonylation as the Basis of Alternative Gas-To-Liquids Processes

Traditional Fischer-Tropsh synthesis for the conversion of gas into liquids for fuels and chemicals is uneconomic for many stranded natural and remote gas sources. This review presents platinum group metal (pgm)-catalysed carbonylation as the basis of a new generation of alternative GTL processes to produce petrochemical products from hydrocarbon gases. The pgm route may allow monetisation of stranded natural and associated petroleum gases by converting them into marketable products with high added value, including for example acetic acid, methyl acetate, ethylidene diacetate, propanal, methyl propanoate, vinyl acetate, oligoketones and oligoesters.

Ethylene polymerization initiated by metallocene catalysts (C5H5)4Mt-MAO (Mt = Ti, Zr) in the presence of organometallic modifiers

The effect of various organometallic compounds (Me3Al, Et3Al, i-Bu 3Al, Et2Zn, Me4Sn, Et4Pb) on the activity and productivity of catalytic systems based on (C5H5)4Zr and (C5H5)4Ti and the molecular- mass characteristics of polymers is investigated. The effect of additives on the activity of catalysts; on the shape of kinetic curves of polymerization; and on the molec ular mass, molecular-mass distribution, and poly- dispersity of the resulting polymers is associated with reversible chain transfer to the organometallic compounds.

Perspective tendencies in development of small scale processing of gas resources

Abstract This paper analyses alternative routes for production of chemicals from different hydrocarbon gases by their direct, without syngas production, oxidative conversion to oxygenates or ethylene. Main of these routes are direct oxidation of methane to methanol (DMTM) and selective oxy-cracking of heavier natural or associated petroleum gas components which can be used for production of high value-added petrochemicals (in combination with carbonylation processes) and fuel gases, useful for gas piston engines. The advantages and practical capabilities of such technologies are discussed.

Experimental studies of natural gas to synthesis gas converters based on permeable cavity matrices

The matrix conversion of natural gas into synthesis gas, in which the autothermal oxidation occurs in the surface combustion mode in a cavity of a closed three-dimensional matrix made of a gas-permeable material, was studied experimentally. The specific volumetric productivity of such converters considerably exceeds that of traditional types of converters and allows conversion of hydrocarbon gases of virtually any composition into synthesis gas. Prospects for practical use of the new type of converters are discussed.

New horizons of small-tonnage gas chemistry

The growing role of natural gas and, consequently, gas chemistry in the economy of the 21st century requires the formation of new gas chemical processes, more flexible in relation to raw materials and end products and profitable even for fine chemicals. Basic research and development conducted at the RAS Institute of Problems of Chemical Physics jointly with the Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, RAS, could become the basis for the creation of a new generation of gas chemical technologies.

Single-site catalysts in the industrial production of polyethylene

This review generalizes the data on the application of single-site catalysts (SSCs) in the industrial production of polyethylene. The history of their industrial application, the basic types of SSCs, the main processes of the production of polyethylene (PE) on the mentioned systems, the largest PE production plants using SSCs, and the application fields of polymers synthesized at these plants are described. The prospects for further development in this direction are discussed.

Development of Technological Process of Matrix Conversion of Natural and Associated Petroleum Gases into Syngas with Low Content of Nitrogen

There is an acute need in more wide use of huge world resources of natural gas as a petrochemical raw material. But solving of this global task is hardly possible without developing of more effective methods for conversion of natural gas into the most important gas–chemical intermediate—syngas. This paper describes recent results on a principally new type of reformers based on the non-catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons into syngas in volumetric (3D) matrix burners. The use of enriched air and oxygen results in production of syngas with low content of nitrogen for petrochemical applications, including production of methanol, syncrude oil, and others. The effective recuperation of heat of produced syngas inside the matrix cavity permits to operate at optimal values of oxygen excess coefficient α = 0.32–0.36, thus making it possible to obtain in such simple non-catalytic process very high yield of nitrogen-free syngas with concentration of H2 more than 50% and that of CO more than 30%.

Adjustment of the fuel characteristics of wet and associated petroleum gases by partial oxidation of C2+ hydrocarbons

Different variants of preconditioning of wet and associated petroleum gases and controlling the characteristics of the resulting fuel gases have been considered. Introduction of an additional step of preliminary oxidative conversion (prereforming) of natural and associated petroleum gases makes it possible to oxidize selectively the “heavy” low-octane components of a complex hydrocarbon mixture and obtain fuel gas for power plants with a high methane number and a required lower heating value. Fuel characteristics of the gases obtained via partial oxidation can be further improved by admixture of gas-piston engine exhaust gas in an amount of about 100 m3/1000 m3 to the air–fuel mixture. The version of controlling the fuel characteristics of complex gas mixtures, as described in the paper, is characterized by simplicity of engineering design, high feedstock flexibility, and the possibility to create simple-to-use modular automated systems for conditioning hydrocarbon gases in small gas fields or fields distant far from power plants.