A process for producing methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) comprising introducing a butane feed stream (n-butane, i-butane) and hydrogen to a hydrogenolysis reactor comprising a hydrogenolysis catalyst to produce a hydrogenolysis product stream comprising hydrogen, methane, ethane, propane, i-butane, and optionally n-butane; separating the hydrogenolysis product stream into a first hydrogen-containing stream, an optional methane stream, a C.sub.2 to C.sub.3 gas stream (ethane, propane), and a butane stream (i-butane, optionally n-butane); feeding the butane stream to a dehydrogenation reactor to produce a dehydrogenation product stream, wherein the dehydrogenation reactor comprises a dehydrogenation catalyst, and wherein the dehydrogenation product stream comprises hydrogen, i-butane, and isobutylene; and feeding the dehydrogenation product stream and methanol to an etherification unit to produce an unreacted methanol stream, an unreacted isobutylene stream, and an MTBE stream.

Pathways are disclosed for the production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) products comprising propane and/or butane, and in certain cases renewable products having non-petroleum derived carbon. In particular, a gaseous feed mixture comprising CO.sub.2 in combination with CH.sub.4 and/or H.sub.2 is converted by reforming and/or reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reactions, further in combination with LPG synthesis. A preferred gaseous feed mixture comprises biogas or otherwise a mixture of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 that is not readily upgraded using conventional processes. Catalysts described herein have a high activity for reforming (including dry reforming) of CH.sub.4, as well as simultaneously catalyzing RWGS. These attributes improve the management of CO.sub.2 that is input to the disclosed processes, particularly in those utilizing recycle operation to increase overall CO.sub.2 conversion. Economics of small scale operations may be improved, if necessary, using an electrically heated reforming reactor in the first or initial reforming stage or RWGS stage.

Pathways are disclosed for the production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) products comprising propane and/or butane, and in certain cases renewable products having non-petroleum derived carbon. In particular, a gaseous feed mixture comprising CO.sub.2 in combination with CH.sub.4 and/or H.sub.2 is converted by reforming and/or reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reactions, further in combination with LPG synthesis. A preferred gaseous feed mixture comprises biogas or otherwise a mixture of CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 that is not readily upgraded using conventional processes. Catalysts described herein have a high activity for reforming (including dry reforming) of CH.sub.4, as well as simultaneously catalyzing RWGS. These attributes improve the management of CO.sub.2 that is input to the disclosed processes, particularly in those utilizing recycle operation to increase overall CO.sub.2 conversion. Economics of small scale operations may be improved, if necessary, using an electrically heated reforming reactor in the first or initial reforming stage or RWGS stage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a gas refining apparatus which can produce a product gas with high purity and high yield at low cost and can produce a plurality of types of gas as a product gas without changing an adsorbent, and the present invention provides a gas refining apparatus (10) including a first derivation line (L3) connected to the second adsorption towers (2a, 2b) and through which the first gas flows, a second derivation line (L4) connected to the second adsorption towers (2a and 2b) and through which the second gas flows, a regeneration line (L5) connected to the first adsorption towers (1a, 1b), through which a regeneration gas for regenerating a first adsorbent in the first adsorption towers (1a, 1b) flows, and a pump (P) provided in the second derivation line (L4) and configured to desorb the second gas from a second adsorbent in the second adsorption towers (2a and 2b), and the regeneration line (L5) is connected to each of the first derivation line (L3) and the second derivation line (L4).

An object of the present invention is to provide a gas refining apparatus which can produce a product gas with high purity and high yield at low cost and can produce a plurality of types of gas as a product gas without changing an adsorbent, and the present invention provides a gas refining apparatus (10) including a first derivation line (L3) connected to the second adsorption towers (2a, 2b) and through which the first gas flows, a second derivation line (L4) connected to the second adsorption towers (2a and 2b) and through which the second gas flows, a regeneration line (L5) connected to the first adsorption towers (1a, 1b), through which a regeneration gas for regenerating a first adsorbent in the first adsorption towers (1a, 1b) flows, and a pump (P) provided in the second derivation line (L4) and configured to desorb the second gas from a second adsorbent in the second adsorption towers (2a and 2b), and the regeneration line (L5) is connected to each of the first derivation line (L3) and the second derivation line (L4).

An object of the present invention is to provide a gas refining apparatus which can produce a product gas with high purity and high yield at low cost and can produce a plurality of types of gas as a product gas without changing an adsorbent, and the present invention provides a gas refining apparatus (10) including a first derivation line (L3) connected to the second adsorption towers (2a, 2b) and through which the first gas flows, a second derivation line (L4) connected to the second adsorption towers (2a and 2b) and through which the second gas flows, a regeneration line (L5) connected to the first adsorption towers (1a, 1b), through which a regeneration gas for regenerating a first adsorbent in the first adsorption towers (1a, 1b) flows, and a pump (P) provided in the second derivation line (L4) and configured to desorb the second gas from a second adsorbent in the second adsorption towers (2a and 2b), and the regeneration line (L5) is connected to each of the first derivation line (L3) and the second derivation line (L4).

This method comprises passing a residual stream into a flash drum to form a gaseous overhead flow and liquid bottom flow, and feeding the bottom flow into a distillation column, It comprises cooling the overhead flow in a heat exchanger to form a cooled overhead flow. It comprises the extraction of a gaseous overhead stream at the head of the distillation column, and the formation of at least one effluent stream from the overhead stream and/or from the top stream. The separation of the cooled overhead flow comprises passing the cooled overhead flow into an absorber, and injecting a methane-rich stream into the absorber to place the cooled overhead flow in contact with the methane-rich stream.

This method comprises passing a residual stream into a flash drum to form a gaseous overhead flow and liquid bottom flow, and feeding the bottom flow into a distillation column, It comprises cooling the overhead flow in a heat exchanger to form a cooled overhead flow. It comprises the extraction of a gaseous overhead stream at the head of the distillation column, and the formation of at least one effluent stream from the overhead stream and/or from the top stream. The separation of the cooled overhead flow comprises passing the cooled overhead flow into an absorber, and injecting a methane-rich stream into the absorber to place the cooled overhead flow in contact with the methane-rich stream.

A device and a process to propagate molecular growth of hydrocarbons, either straight or branched chain structures, that naturally occur in the gas phase of a first gas to gas phase molecules of a second gas having higher molecular chain lengths than the hydrocarbons of the first gas. According to one embodiment, the device includes a grounded reactor vessel having a gas inlet, a product outlet, and an electrode within the vessel; a power supply coupled to the electrode for creating an electrostatic field within the vessel for converting the first gas to a second gas.

A device and a process to propagate molecular growth of hydrocarbons, either straight or branched chain structures, that naturally occur in the gas phase of a first gas to gas phase molecules of a second gas having higher molecular chain lengths than the hydrocarbons of the first gas. According to one embodiment, the device includes a grounded reactor vessel having a gas inlet, a product outlet, and an electrode within the vessel; a power supply coupled to the electrode for creating an electrostatic field within the vessel for converting the first gas to a second gas.