formaldehyde - Sciencemadness Dot Org

FORMA LDEH YDE PROD UCTION 13
Production of Formaldehyde from Methane and Other Hydrocarbon Gases
Numerous methods of producing formaldehyde by the oxidation of hydrocarbon
gases have been patented, and increasing amounts of formaldehyde
are made by processes of this type. In this connection, Homer 17 observes
that hydrocarbon formaldehyde is usually obtained from the scrubbers as
dilute solution which is not capable of being concentrated economically.
It i.s also stated that it is difficult to obtain formaldehyde free from other
Courtesy E. I .da Pont de Neviours & Co., Inc.
Fig. 6. Formaldehyde tank truck.
aldehydes and by-products. However, in spite of the above difficulties,
improvements have been effected by the use of special catalysts and better
methods of control.
The problems of hydrocarbon oxidation have been studied since the early
nineteen hundreds, but the development of practical methods for the
production of formaldehyde by methods of this type has been beset by
numerous difficulties. Investigations of methane oxidation by Blair and
Wheeler 6 demonstrated that methane is not oxidized at an appreciable rate
below 600°C whereas, as previously pointed out, formaldehyde begins to