Apparatus and methods are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. A hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to another hydrocarbon process.

A process includes hydrogenating, in a reaction zone, a highly unsaturated hydrocarbon received from a hydrocarbon stream to yield a product having an unsaturated hydrocarbon, the hydrogenating step occurring in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst which has a selectivity for conversion of the highly unsaturated hydrocarbon to the unsaturated hydrocarbon of about 90 mol % or greater based on the moles of the highly unsaturated hydrocarbon which are converted to the product, the hydrogenating step occurring in a reaction zone under conditions which include a flow index (I.sub.F) in a range of about 0.09 to about 35, wherein the I.sub.F is defined as:

[00001]$I_F=\frac{F\left[\mathrm{CO}\right]}{V},$

wherein F is the flow rate of the hydrocarbon stream into the reaction zone in units of kg/h, [CO] is the concentration of carbon monoxide in the hydrocarbon stream in units of mol %, and V is the volume of the reaction zone in units of ft.sup.3.

A plant for producing ethylene having a reactor to effect oxidative coupling of methane, a work-up unit connected to the reactor to separate a first material stream produced by the reactor into a C.sub.1 material stream and an ethylene product stream and a separation unit connected to the work-up unit to separate the C.sub.1 material stream into a hydrogen-rich product stream and a hydrogen-lean residual gas stream. The plant also includes a steam cracker to produce (5) for producing an olefin-containing and hydrogen-containing crude gas stream. The steam cracker is connected to the work-up unit that separates the crude gas stream along with the first material stream into the C.sub.1 material stream and the ethylene product stream. A portion of the residual gas stream is recycled to the reactor. A process for producing ethylene using the plant is also described.

The present invention relates to a process for the non-oxidative conversion of saturated C.sub.1+ hydrocarbons into unsaturated C.sub.2+ hydrocarbons and hydrogen in the presence of an unsupported carbon-based catalyst having a carbon content of at least 90.0 wt % and a metal concentration which is less than 0.3 wt %; with wt % expressed based on the total weight of said carbon-based catalyst. The present invention also provides a process for producing a graphite derivative. Further provided are a graphite derivative, and uses thereof, and systems for carrying out the processes of the invention.

A process includes hydrogenating, in a reaction zone, a highly unsaturated hydrocarbon received from a hydrocarbon stream to yield a product having an unsaturated hydrocarbon, the hydrogenating step occurring in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst which has a selectivity for conversion of the highly unsaturated hydrocarbon to the unsaturated hydrocarbon of about 90 mol % or greater based on the moles of the highly unsaturated hydrocarbon which are converted to the product, the hydrogenating step occurring in a reaction zone under conditions which include a flow index (I.sub.F) in a range of about 0.09 to about 35, wherein the I.sub.F is defined as: $I_F=\frac{F\left[\mathrm{CO}\right]}{V},$
wherein F is the flow rate of the hydrocarbon stream into the reaction zone in units of kg/h, [CO] is the concentration of carbon monoxide in the hydrocarbon stream in units of mol %, and V is the volume of the reaction zone in units of ft.sup.3.

A process includes hydrogenating, in a reaction zone, a highly unsaturated hydrocarbon received from a hydrocarbon stream to yield a product having an unsaturated hydrocarbon, the hydrogenating step occurring in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst which has a selectivity for conversion of the highly unsaturated hydrocarbon to the unsaturated hydrocarbon of about 90 mol % or greater based on the moles of the highly unsaturated hydrocarbon which are converted to the product, the hydrogenating step occurring in a reaction zone under conditions which include a flow index (I.sub.F) in a range of about 0.09 to about 35, wherein the I.sub.F is defined as:

[00001]$I_F=\frac{F\left[\mathrm{CO}\right]}{V},$

wherein F is the flow rate of the hydrocarbon stream into the reaction zone in units of kg/h, [CO] is the concentration of carbon monoxide in the hydrocarbon stream in units of mol %, and V is the volume of the reaction zone in units of ft.sup.3.

Apparatus and methods are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. A hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to another hydrocarbon process.

A process includes hydrogenating, in a reaction zone, a highly unsaturated hydrocarbon received from a hydrocarbon stream to yield a product having an unsaturated hydrocarbon, the hydrogenating step occurring in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst which has a selectivity for conversion of the highly unsaturated hydrocarbon to the unsaturated hydrocarbon of about 90 mol % or greater based on the moles of the highly unsaturated hydrocarbon which are converted to the product, the hydrogenating step occurring in a reaction zone under conditions which include a flow index (I.sub.F) in a range of about 0.09 to about 35, wherein the I.sub.F is defined as: $I_F=\frac{F\left[\mathrm{CO}\right]}{V},$
wherein F is the flow rate of the hydrocarbon stream into the reaction zone in units of kg/h, [CO] is the concentration of carbon monoxide in the hydrocarbon stream in units of mol %, and V is the volume of the reaction zone in units of ft.sup.3.

Apparatus and methods are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. A hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to another hydrocarbon process.

Apparatus and methods are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. A hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to another hydrocarbon process.