A METHOD OF PRODUCING A SYNTHESIS GAS RICH IN CARBON MONOXIDE

1,212,817. Making a carbon monoxide-rich gas. METALLGESELLSCHAFT A.G. 12 Aug., 1969 [13 Aug., 1968], No. 40246/69. Heading C5E. In a method of producing a CO-rich gas for oxo-synthesis by steam-cracking a liquid or normally gaseous hydrocarbon over a catalyst, CO 2 is scrubbed out of the cracked gas and recycled to the cracking stage, and at least part of the CO 2 -free gas is separated into a CO and an H 2 fraction, the CO fraction being mixed either with the other part of the CO,-free gas mixture, cr with part of the H 2 fraction. Surplus H 2 is available for desulphurizing the feedstock. If the feedstock is a liquid, all the CO 2 - free gas may be subjected to the separating step, and the feedstock may be pre-cracked over a Ni/Mg silicate catalyst to produce a CH 4 - rich gas which is then cracked with the CO 2 over a Ni/alumina or Ni/aluminium silicate catalyst. The precracking is carried out at 400‹ to 550‹ C., and the main cracking at above 750‹ C. In one example the feedstock is natural gas.