Methane, with the chemical formula CH4, is a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable gas. It is the simplest hydrocarbon compound, consisting of one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms. Methane is the primary component of natural gas, making up about 70-90% of its composition.

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.