Mechanically Activated Chemical Conversion of Gaseous Hydrocarbons

Abstract

Propane-butane gaseous mixtures were subjected to mechanical treatment in centrifugal ball mill in the absence or presence of some mineral particles. It was found that the composition of gas mixture was changed significantly depending on duration of the mechanical coercion and solid or porous nature of mineral additives. The mechanical treatment of light hydrocarbons in the presence of quartz particles at the temperatures not exceeding 100 °C resulted at long last in complete conversion of initial organic compounds to methane, hydrogen and small amounts of carbon. The same alterations of gas composition were lesser profound when the mechanical treatment was carried out in the absence of minerals or in the presence of porous silica gel or aluminum oxide. It have been shown that direct transformation of mechanic energy to intramolecular energy of hydrocarbons is more responsible for their destruction during the process considered rather than catalytic properties of the minerals. The removal of heavier hydrocarbons from natural or casing-head petroleum gas by means of MA treatment permits to facilitate further gas transportation and to improve essentially its heat-physical properties, namely, to decrease gas average molecular mass and specific gravity and to increase its caloricity and Wobbe number' values.