Patent ID: 8697759
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: C07C,Y02E

Abstract:
1. A method of producing methanol from a source of methane, which comprises: reacting one equivalent of methane from a methane source with oxygen from the atmosphere (air) under conditions sufficient to result in complete combustion to produce a mixture of carbon dioxide and water in a molar ratio of about 1:2 and to generate heat for subsequent use in the method; combining the carbon dioxide and water produced from the combustion with a three equivalent amount of methane from the methane source to produce a mixture of methane:carbon dioxide:water having a molar ratio of 3:1:2; conducting a single-step bi-reforming reaction with the mixture of methane:carbon dioxide:water and with the heat generated from the complete combustion to form only carbon monoxide and hydrogen as follows: to exclusively produce metgas having a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a molar ratio of between 2:1 and 2.1:1; and converting the metgas under conditions sufficient to exclusively form methanol, as follows: wherein the sole reactants for the method are the methane from the methane source and the oxygen from the atmosphere (air).