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6 views37 pagesMethanol Production Process Overview
The document discusses the production of methanol from natural gas, detailing the synthesis process involving catalytic reactions of carbon monoxide and hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures. It outlines the production methods, including steam reforming and partial oxidation, and highlights the importance of catalysts and thermodynamic aspects in optimizing methanol yield. Additionally, it compares high and low-pressure processes and mentions industrial applications and technologies from companies like Lurgi Corp. and Imperial Chemical Industries.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
6 views37 pagesMethanol Production Process Overview
The document discusses the production of methanol from natural gas, detailing the synthesis process involving catalytic reactions of carbon monoxide and hydrogen at high temperatures and pressures. It outlines the production methods, including steam reforming and partial oxidation, and highlights the importance of catalysts and thermodynamic aspects in optimizing methanol yield. Additionally, it compares high and low-pressure processes and mentions industrial applications and technologies from companies like Lurgi Corp. and Imperial Chemical Industries.
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THEME #1 (PART 2)
PRODUCTION OF
METHANOL
Today, the production of methanol from natural gas is a
mature and widely tested technology.
The figure compiles the main stages for the production of methanol.
OBTAINING METHANOL
The methanol produced worldwide
it is synthesized through a process
catalytic from carbon monoxide
carbon and hydrogen. This reaction
uses high temperatures and
pressures and needs reactors
large and complicated industrial.
SYNTHESIS GAS (SYNGAS)
It is a gaseous fuel that contains amounts
hydrogen and carbon monoxide variables mostly
accompanied by other gases such as carbon dioxide,
methane and water.
Starting from the reaction between the components of synthesis gas
(CO/H2) and a variety of operating conditions is that it can
to raise the conversion rate for the specific production of
methanol, leading to the following reactions:
SYNTHESIS GAS
The natural gas chain begins with the reforming process.
with steam through which methane reacts catalytically
with water to produce the so-called synthesis gas.
Synthesis gas (CO+H2) can be obtained from different
ways. The different production processes are differentiated among
yes precisely because of this fact.
●From the partial combustion of natural gas in
presence of water vapor
From the partial combustion of mixtures of
liquid hydrocarbons or coal in the presence of water
STEAM REFORMER
It is necessary to contact Natural Gas (sweetened) with water.
in a vapor state under controlled pressure conditions
temperature.
Once they come into contact with a reformer (reactor) it
produce a mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and
hydrogen at a pressure of 1.6MPa
PARTIAL OXIDATION
It is used to convert carbon monoxide (CO) present in the gas
of process, into carbon dioxide CO2, using a stream of
oxygen to obtain an effluent with an H2/CO ratio close to 2.
This value can be obtained by diverting part of the gas flow.
hacia un convertidor de vapor que remueve el exceso de CO y suple
an equivalent amount of hydrogen.
Using a standard absorption process, it is necessary to remove the
CO2 at the maximum acceptable concentration for the catalyst used
to drive the synthesis of methanol.
THERMODYNAMIC ASPECTS
The synthesis of methanol takes place in a temperature range between
493-573 K and pressures of 50-100 atmospheres (although the maximum pressure
achieved with a Zn/CrO catalyst is 300 atm) On a
catalyst based on Cu, Zn and Al
UNWANTED SIDE REACTIONS
THERMODYNAMIC ASPECTS
All lateral reactions, just like the main ones,
lead to a decrease in the number of moles because they
favor high pressures and all are exothermic and
they favor low temperatures.
The way to control undesirable reactions is to use a
selective catalyst for the main (desired) reactions,
accelerating the desired speed in relation to the others.
The H2 to CO ratio of 6/1 produces high conversions of
CO balance in methanol production
Kinetic aspects
CARBON EFFICIENCY
In order to achieve the simultaneous conversion of CO and
CO2 to methanol, there are correlations that provide certain data.
for effluents produced by steam reforming.
Kinetic aspects
KINETIC ASPECTS
The production of methanol is favored by:
★ Elevation of Pressure
Temperature Reduction
Increase of the CO/CO2 ratio in the synthesis gas
Increase in the hydrogen content of the feed
reformed
It is advisable to use activators
CATALYSTS
Chrome Zinc Systems
They consist of homogeneous mixtures of
zinc and chromium oxides. They have a low
relative activity, which requires a
operation of 300 and 400 C.
At this temperature, a is necessary
absolute pressure of 30 to 35 MPa for
achieve conversion rates
satisfactory and this incurs high
costs in energy terms and
economic.
CATALYSTS
Copper Zinc Systems
They are highly sensitive to certain poisons.
especially sulfur compounds and
halogenated.
The development in catalytic resistance and the
impurity-free synthesis gas production
led to its industrialization.
They operate between 240 and 270 C and pressures of 5 to
10MPa
CATALYSTS
The high activity and selectivity of methanol catalysts,
mainly those based on CuO, depend heavily on
the purity of the synthesis gas and its composition.
The presence of iron as an impurity in the catalyst, or the most
common in reactor construction material can cause that to
at high temperatures, gaseous iron carbonyl is formed by
the following reaction.
CATALYSTS
The activity of the Cu/ZnO catalysts decreases.
drastically when operating with a synthesis gas rich in
CO2
The reaction rate decreases with conversion because the
reaction is strongly inhibited by the adsorption of methanol
about the catalyst..
To achieve simultaneous conversions of CO and CO2 to methanol
the concept of COAL EFFICIENCY is introduced
CATALYSTS
GENERAL DESCRIPTION TO OBTAIN
METHANOL
All processes for obtaining synthetic methanol involve the
next basic steps:
Steam reforming of natural gas
Compression
Synthesis of a catalytic converter
Distillation for purification
FLOWCHART OF THE PROCESS
HIGH PRESSURE PROCESS
High energy requirements. Uses compressors.
The methanol obtained is of very high purity with only traces.
of by-products.
➔ Carbon steel reactors cannot be used because they
formed due to the high pressures Fe (CO)5 which is a
catalyst for the methanation reaction.
LOW PRESSURE PROCESS
Facilities for gas handling
An increase in selectivity of 1 to 3% is achieved in the
methanol production
It allows for greater utilization of the catalytic bed.
It allows for the handling of larger volumes of gas.
Allows the construction of reactors with thinner walls
Considerable reduction in compression equipment.
REFORMING
PARTIAL OXIDATION
REACTOR LURGI
Industrial Processes
The most widely used industrial processes, using any
of the three feedings (natural gas, hydrocarbon mixture
liquids or coal) are developed by the firms Lurgi Corp. and
Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI)
ICI PROCESS
The difference between the various processes is based on the type of
methanol reactor, since the processes for obtaining gas from
synthesis and purification of methanol are similar for all
processes.
At Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), catalytic synthesis is
produced in a fluidized bed reactor, it is cooled with water,
obtaining steam that will be used in other sectors of the process.
Distillation is done in two stages instead of being done in one.
alone, in the first stage, light products such as ethers are eliminated,
ketones and light hydrocarbons and in the second, water is removed and
heavy hydrocarbons.
ICI Technology. Marketed since 1970, it used to be the most used.
from half of the methanol production by 1986 and 70% of the projects
worldwide).
It consists of a catalytic bed cooled by quench gas injection at
through diamond-shaped axial flow distributors. It is a reactor
adiabatic that can be scaled to produce up to 3000 tons/day.
Lurgi technology. It uses an isothermal reactor with catalytic tubes and a
boiling water case.
Additionally, the heat of reaction can be recovered for useful purposes.
SYNTHESIS REACTORS
COMPARISON OF HIGH AND LOW PROCESSES
PRESSURES
COMPARISON OF HIGH AND LOW PROCESSES
PRESSURES
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!