Patent ID: 9034208
Filing Date: 2015-05-19
Classification: C01B,C10G

Abstract:
1. A process to convert light hydrocarbons to a liquid or liquids which process comprises: using vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) in a VPSA unit to produce a stream of relatively high purity oxygen from atmospheric air wherein the relatively high purity oxygen is greater than 80% oxygen by volume; compressing the relatively high purity oxygen; adding steam to light hydrocarbons and then preheating the light hydrocarbons and steam; mixing the high purity oxygen and light hydrocarbons with steam after the preheating and partially combusting in an autothermal reformer; reacting the compressed relatively high purity oxygen with the light hydrocarbons and steam in the autothermal reformer to produce synthesis gas; subjecting the synthesis gas to a hydrogen membrane unit to remove hydrogen from the synthesis gas and produce an adjusted synthesis gas and a hydrogen stream; converting the adjusted synthesis gas to a hydrocarbon liquid or liquids via a Fischer Tropsch reaction or to methanol or higher alcohols; and using tail gas generated during the adjusted synthesis gas conversion as fuel to preheat the light hydrocarbons and steam, to preheat the high purity oxygen, or to preheat both the light hydrocarbons and steam and the high purity oxygen.