Effect of Hydrogen Addition on Oxidative Cracking of Ethane

Abstract

Effect of hydrogen addition at [C₂H₆]/[H₂] ratios of 10–0.05 on the oxy-cracking of ethane was experimentally studied. It was shown that small additions of hydrogen have nearly no effect on the process rate. With the concentration of added hydrogen increasing at temperatures of up to ~650°C, the contributions from the reactions of oxidation of both hydrogen itself and starting ethane becomes more pronounced, with water, carbon oxides, methane, and ethylene being the main reaction products. With increasing temperature, the influence exerted by small additions of hydrogen on the conversion of ethane and oxygen decreases. Performing the oxidative cracking in hydrogen at temperatures higher than 650°C demonstrated that hydrogen makes the conversion of ethane smaller and the expenditure of oxygen for oxidation of hydrogen grows.