Patent ID: 6156279
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: B01F,B01J,C01B,C07C,Y02P

Abstract:
An apparatus for manufacturing methanol from methane comprising:a housing at least partially transparent to light;a gas permeable partition separating the interior of the housing into a reaction chamber and a methane chamber;a solid gas permeable photocatalytic layer formed on the gas permeable partition adjacent to the reaction chamber;means for directing light through the housing and into engagement with the photocatalytic layer;a product outlet opening out of the reaction chamber;a water source opening into the reaction chamber;means for continuously flowing water from the water source through the reaction chamber and through the product outlet;a methane source opening into the methane chamber;means for maintaining methane from the methane source within the methane chamber at a predetermined pressure sufficient to cause methane to continuously flow through the gas permeable partition and through the solid gas permeable photo catalytic layer for entrainment as sub-micron size bubbles in the flowing water while preventing water from flowing into the methane chamber; anda distillation apparatus in fluid communication with the product outlet.