102 



THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



To Gasometer 



Fig. 4 



The mixture of natural gas and carbon dioxide was passed through 

 a transparent quartz tube containing the catalyst. The catalyst 

 zone of the tube was heated by three blast lamps. A water jacket 

 was fitted over the rear portion of the tube with the object of quickly 

 cooling the gases, leaving the catalyst zone and preventing further 

 oxidation. 



In the earlier experiments natural gas containing 80 per cent, of 

 methane (including ethane) was mixed with carbon dioxide in a 

 gasometer. In the later series the gases issued from cylinders and 

 after passing through flow meters were mixed in a large bottle. After 

 being dried the gas mixture flowed at a pressure of 5 cms. of mercury 

 over the catalyst, through the cooling zone and through wash bottles 

 containing water into a second gasometer. The temperature of the 

 catalyst was given by a platinum, platinum-rhodium thermocouple. 

 Samples for analysis were collected at intervals of the initial mixture 

 and of the final product. The wash waters were tested for formalde- 

 hyde and methyl alcojiol, qualitatively by Schifi^s reagent and quanti- 

 tatively by the colorimetric method. 



Copper, in the form of discs of fine mesh gauze packed closely 

 together for a length of 3 cms., was the first metal tried. A series of 

 runs was carried out, varying the temperature between 500°C and 

 800°C. and using different flow rates. 



In another series the effect of platinized asbestos was studied 

 and in a third the catalyst was reduced silvejr on pumice. Each of 

 these substances was packed into the quartz tube so that the volume 

 of catalyst space was 6 ces. 



Results 



The following table summarizes the data obtained in the chief 

 experiments: 



