CH₄

Methane

Methane is a colorless, odorless, flammable gas. The relative density is 0.5547, the boiling point is -164°C, and the melting point is -182.48°C. Methane is an important fuel and an important chemical raw material. Natural gas with methane as the main component is a high-quality gas fuel with a long history. It has been exploited and utilized on a large scale and has become the third energy source in the world.

Process

Methane is the principal constituent of natural gas (typically natural gas is 87% methane). It is therefore commonly produced by purifying natural gas. Pure methane may also be obtained from the cracking of petroleum fractions.

Gas	Methane
CAS No.	74-82-8
Purity	≥99.9%

Applications

Fuels

Methane is used as a heating fuel for domestic purposes and above all for industrial heating High purity methane is used as a fuel gas in flame photometers. As natural gas it is also used as fuel for vehicles.

Chemical

In the chemical field, methane serves as a raw material for the production of methanol, synthetic ammonia, acetylene, carbon black, carbon disulphide, hydrocyanic acid, chloromethane, methylene chloride, carbon tetra chloride and chloroform.

Steel

In the steel industry, natural gas is used for direct reduction of powdered minerals, and to produce hard metal.

Nuclear Reactor

Methane is used in gas cooled nuclear reactors. The methane is used to dope the carbon dioxide coolant in order to prevent erosion of the carbon control rods in the nuclear core.

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