COLD FLOW MODEL AND COMPUTER-SIMULATION STUDIES OF A CIRCULATING FLUIDIZED-BED REACTOR FOR THE OXIDATIVE COUPLING OF METHANE

A circulating fluidized bed configuration has been developed for appli cation in the oxidative coupling process. The configuration comprises a bottom turbulent fluidized bed, wherein the oxidative coupling react ion is conducted, followed by a reduced-diameter top fast bed for cata lyst entrainment and hydrocarbon cracking. The hydrodynamic characteri stics of this configuration have been investigated in a pilot-plant co ld flow unit. Detailed experimental results on the turbulent bed flow structure and the gas phase residence time distribution are presented and discussed. The performance of the proposed reactor is analyzed by computer simulation studies based on a published oxidative coupling ki netic model. It is shown that improved hydrocarbon yields can be obtai ned by optimizing the hydrodynamic structure and the mixing characteri stics of the turbulent bed.