DESIGN OF 30,000 TONS/YEAR METHANOL VIA CATALYTIC

HYDROGENATION OF FLARE GAS FROM CRUDE OIL WELLS

A FINAL YEAR DESIGN PROJECT

PRESENTED TO

THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

BY

GROUP 9

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR
OF ENGINEERING (B.ENG), CHEMICAL ENGINEERING.

COVENANT UNIVERSITY, OTA

DESIGN TEAM

1. CHARLES DANIEL CHRIS 18CF023951

2. SHOWUNMI MOFEYIFOLUWA 18CF023999
3. OJOMO PETER 17CF022368
4. OKEGBENRO OLAMIDE 17CF022370
5. OKPARA UCHENNA 18CF023983
6. SHOROYE MODESOLA ESTHER 18CF023998
OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION

❑Introduction to Chemical Engineering Design

❑Chemical engineering design of the Reforming Process
❑Chemical engineering design of the Methanol Synthesis Process
❑Chemical engineering design of the Methanol Purification/Storage Process
❑Mechanical engineering design of the reforming process
❑Mechanical engineering design of the Methanol Synthesis Process
❑Mechanical engineering design of the Methanol Purification/Storage Process
INTRODUCTION TO CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING DESIGN
• Design in Chemical Engineering is concerned with
achieving a balance between real-world applications
and the theoretical aspects of process and plant
design.

• Chemical engineering design involves the

determination of the operating conditions of
equipment included in different unit processes.
 OVERVIEW OF THE REFORMING PROCESS

• During this process, the feedstock (impure flare gas) is desulphurized and then converted
into syngas in a steam methane reformer. Afterwards, it is further processed into a mixture of
carbon dioxide and water.

The reactions involved in this process include:

𝑦
• nCnHy + 𝑛H2O → nCO + ( + 𝑛)H2 - Preformer
2

• CH4 + H2O → CO + H2 – Steam methane reforming

• CO + H2O → CO2 + H2 – Water Gas Shift

 REACTIONS IN REFORMING PROCESS
3

HEATR-03

8 9

HEATR-01

5
7
6 REFORMER
PRE-REF

MIX-01
HEATR-02
10
NOTHI NG
2

COOL-01

1 PSA-01

11

HT-WGS
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE REFORMING PROCESS
(Steam Methane Reformer)

Parameter Values
Reaction Temperature (℃) 800
Reaction pressure (bar) 25
Reactor Type Sleeve
Reaction phase Vapor
Catalyst used Ni/ZnO/Al2O3

Capacity (m3) 23.46

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE REFORMING PROCESS
(Water Gas Shift Reactor)

Parameter Values
Reaction Temperature (℃) 430
Reaction pressure (bar) 25
Operation Mode Adiabatic
Reaction phase Vapour
Catalyst used Chromia-promoted iron
oxide
Capacity (m3) 22.53
Reactor type Plug flow reactor
 OVERVIEW OF THE METHANOL SYNTHESIS PROCESS

• Carbon dioxide and hydrogen are converted into methanol using two
synthesis reactors K and P. The liquid phase (methanol and water) are
separated from unreacted gases first using flash drums and then sent
to distillation column (X) to obtain pure methanol.
The reactions involved in this process include:
• CO2 +3H2 → CH3OH+ H2O
• CO + 2H2 → CH3OH
• CO2 + H2 → CO + H2O
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE SYNTHESIS PROCESS
(Methanol Synthesis Reactor K)

Parameter Values
Reaction Temperature (℃) 184
Reaction pressure (bar) 58
Capacity (m3) 11.62
Reaction phase Vapor and Liquid
Catalyst used Cu/ZnO/ZrO2

Reactor Type Packed bed reactor

 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE METHANOL SYNTHESIS PROCESS

COOL-05
23

HEATR-04
MIX-03
21
25
SYNRCTR2 24
30
20
COOL-07

COMP-H2 COOL-H2
22
COMP-02 32
FLDRM2
COMP-03
29
18

COOL-03

17 26

FLDRM1

28 FLDRM3
16 19
VL-01

27

COOL-02
14 35
SYNRCTR1

13 MIX-02

12

15

COMP-01
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE METHANOL PURIFICATION PROCESS

• In the purification section,

components that may
compromise the purity of
methanol such as water and COOL-06
unreacted gases are removed. 36 38
The processes involved int his
section includes;
i. Distillation to separate
35
methanol from impurities DISTL-01
ii. Cooling of methanol to
suitable temperature for 37
storage
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN OF THE METHANOL
PURIFICATION PROCESS

Number of stages 30
Type of Condenser Partial-Vapor
Type of Reboiler Kettle
Valid phase Vapor-Liquid
Reflux Ratio 5
Condenser pressure (bar) 1.01325
Internal components Plates
Feed Stage 16
Type of tray Sieve
INTRODUCTION TO MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING DESIGN
• Mechanical engineering design places a premium
on defining the physical properties of equipment
used in the manufacturing process.
• Mechanical engineering design is concerned with
the physical configuration of process equipment
such as tanks, pumps, filters, and heat
exchangers, among other things.
• Mechanical engineering design is critical because
design flaws can disrupt the entire process and
jeopardize the safety of plant personnel.

14
 Mechanical Design of PSA
(A)
CL-FLGAS
• P.S.A (A) works as a desulphurizer i.e. to separate
H2S from the feed gas to prevent corrosion and
fouling in downstream equipment.
• The adsorbent employed here is Silica gel coated
FLGAS PSA-01 with N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP)

H2S
 Mechanical Design of PSA (A)

• Table of equipment specification

Operating Temperature (0C) 25

Operating Pressure (bar) 25
Design Temperature (0C) 40
Design Pressure (bar) 31
Height (m) 5.06
Diameter (m) 1.26
Capacity of each vessel (m3) 6.36
Slenderness ratio 4
Design Stress (N/mm2) 135
Head Type Ellipsoidal
Wall Thickness (mm) 5.6
 Mechanical Design of Pre-
reformer (D)
H2OCH4-3
• In this reactor, steam reacts with the
higher hydrocarbons present in flare
gas such as ethane, propane,
H2OCH4-2 isobutane, etc. to yield methane.
PRE-REF
The decomposition of these
components reduces the amount of
soot generated in the operation
 Mechanical Design of Pre-reformer (D)

• Table of equipment specification

Operating temperature (0C) 500

Operating Pressure (bar) 25
Design Temperature (0C) 600
Design Pressure (bar) 31
Wall thickness (mm) 6.25
Height (m) 7.31
Diameter (m) 1.82
Design Stress (N/mm2) 50
Vessel Head Type Ellipsoidal
Valid phases Vapour
Slenderness ratio 4
 Mechanical Design of Steam
Methane Reforming (SMR)
Reactor (F)
H2OCH4-4
• The steam reformer (S) was used
to convert the methane present in
REFORMER
flare gas using steam into carbon
monoxide and hydrogen. It
operates at 800℃.
CO-H2-1
• The reactor operates isothermally
and employs a catalyst which is
Ni/ZnO/Al2O3
 Mechanical Design of Steam Methane Reforming (SMR)
Reactor (F)

• Table of equipment specification

Height (m) 8.24

Diameter (m) 2.05
Wall thickness (mm) 6.5
Head type Ellipsoidal
Design stress (N/mm2) 30
Operating temperature (°C) 800
Operating pressure (bar) 25
Design temperature (°C) 960
Design pressure (bar) 31
Slenderness ratio 4
 Mechanical Design of Water
Gas Shift (WGS) Reactor (H)
CO-H2-2
• To maximize the conversion of CO
(output from Cooler G), the water
gas shift reaction is conducted in
HT-WGS an adiabatic reactor. The catalyst
used in the HTS reaction is iron-
CO2-H2-1
chrome oxide because it has
better activity at temperatures
between 583 and 723K
 Mechanical Design of Water Gas Shift Reactor (WGS) (H)

• Table of equipment specification

Height (m) 8.15

Diameter (m) 2.03
Wall thickness (mm) 6.35
Head type Ellipsoidal
Design stress (N/mm2) 70
Operating temperature (°C) 430
Operating pressure (bar) 25
Design temperature (°C) 516
Design pressure (bar) 31
Slenderness ratio 4
 Mechanical Design of
Compressor (I)
• In a compressor, the pressure of a gas is increased to
meet the requirement of the downstream equipment
CO2-H2-2
• The compressor (I) is used to increase the pressure
CO2-H2-1 of the synthesis reactor feed stream to the required
pressure, 58 bar.

COMP-01
 Mechanical Design of Compressor (I)

• Table of equipment specification

Discharge pressure (bar) 58

Isentropic efficiency 0.72

Work duty (kW) 1795.43166

Type Reciprocating

Design pressure (bar) 70.6

Design stress (N/mm2) 70

 Mechanical Design of
Cooler (J)
COOL-02
CO2-H2-3 • In this cooler, the temperature
of the synthesis reactor is
CO2-H2-2 reduced to 184℃ to favour
production of methanol as
high temperature promotes
production of carbon
monoxide.
Mechanical Design of Cooler (J)

Operating temperature of tube side fluid (°C) 592

Operating temperature of shell side fluid (°C) 25

Operating pressure of tube side fluid (bar) 25

Operating pressure of shell side fluid (bar) 58

Design temperature of tube side fluid (°C) 711.4

Design temperature of shell side fluid (°C) 40

Design pressure of tube side fluid (bar) 30

Design pressure of shell side fluid (bar) 69.6

Design stress (N/mm2) 30

Shell head type Formed flat end
Tube head type Hemispherical
Orientation Horizontal
 Mechanical Design of
Synthesis Reactor (K)
CRDMEOH1 • In the synthesis reactor,
CO2-H2-3
carbon dioxide reacts with
SYNRCTR1
hydrogen to produce
methanol.
MEOHH2O1
 Mechanical Design of Synthesis Reactor (K)

• Table of equipment specification

Length (m) 8.5

Diameter (m) 1.7
Wall thickness (mm) 5.8
Head type Hemispherical
Design stress (N/mm2) 70
Operating temperature (°C) 184
Operating pressure (bar) 58
Design temperature (°C) 220
Design pressure (bar) 70.6
Slenderness ratio 5
Orientation Horizontal
 Mechanical Design of
Distillation Column (X)
METH • Distillation Column (X)
MEOHH2O7
separates water from
methanol using 30 stages,
DISTL-01

WATERBTM

with a reflux ratio of 5

Mechanical Design of Distillation Column (X)

Joint efficiency 1.0

Number of stages 30
Condenser operating pressure (Bar) 1.01325
Condenser Design pressure (Bar) 2.22
Reboiler operating temperature (oC) 120
Reboiler operating pressure (Bar) 1.01325
Reboiler Design temperature (oC) 2.22
Reboiler Design pressure (Bar) 1.32
Design stress (N/mm2) 120
Column height (m) 8.79
Column diameter (m) 1.95
Plate spacing (m) 0.6
Slenderness ratio 4.5
Reboiler head type Ellipsoidal
 Mechanical Design of
Cooler (Y)
• Cooler (Y) reduces the temperature
COOL-06
of the pure methanol stream to a
METH
suitable temperature (25℃) for
METH2
storage.
 Mechanical Design of Cooler (Y)

• Table of equipment specification

Tube side maximum working temperature (oC) 65

Tube side maximum working pressure (Bar) 1.01325

Shell side maximum working temperature (oC) 25

Shell side maximum working pressure (Bar) 1.01325

Tube side design temperature (oC) 78
Tube side design pressure (Bar) 2.2
Shell side design temperature (oC) 40
Shell side design pressure (Bar) 2.2
Orientation of equipment Horizontal
 REFERENCES

• Sinnott, R. K., Coulson, J. M., & Richardson, J. F. (2005). Chemical engineering

design (Vol. 6). Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann Oxford.
• Speight, J. G. (2019). Hydrogen production. Heavy oil recovery and upgrading,
657-697. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-813025-4.00015-5
• Towler, G., & Sinnott, R. (2021). Chemical engineering design: principles, practice
and economics of plant and process design. Butterworth-Heinemann
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