The partial oxidation of methane was carried out in a glass-lined tubular flow reactor packed with quartz chips. Experiments were performed a t pressures of 2&50 bar, temperatures of 425-500 "C, space times of 3-12 s, and oxygen concentrations in the feed of 3,5, and 10 mol %. Reaction produds observed were methanol, carbon monoxide, and water with small amounts of carbon dioxide, ethylene, and formaldehyde. Depending on the experimental conditions, selectivities to methanol of up to 50% could be reached with methane conversions of 3-4%. At higher conversion levels of 14% the selectivity to methanol dropped to 30%. Low temperature and high pressure were found to favor methanol production. Increase of the oxygen concentration in the reactant feed increases the yield but lowers the selectivity to methanol.
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