DESIGN OF METHANOL MANUFACTURING

UNIT
INTRODUCTION
 

 Methanol is a colourless, water-soluble liquid also called as methyl alcoho

spirit.
 Chemical formula - CH3OH
 Freezing point - -97.6 ⁰C
 Boiling point - 64.6 ⁰C
 Density at 20 C – 791 kg/m3
 The first large scale methanol plant was operated by BASF in 1923 in Ge
APPLICATION
OF
METHANOL
PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES
 

The  main
 steps in producing methanol are the following:
 Production of synthesis gas-
1.Steam reforming
CH4+1/2O2 CO+2H2 ∆H(298K) = 247 kJ/mol
The reverse water-gas shift reaction shown below:
∆H(298K) = -47 kJ/mol
2. Autothermal reforming- (ATR) is the combination of steam reforming and oxyreforming.
∆H(298K) = -36 kJ/mol
3. Carbon dioxide reforming- This process uses CO2 as a reactant to produce syngas through the
following reaction
∆H(298K) = 206 kJ/mol
 Synthesis gas compression
 Conversion of the synthesis gas into methanol
 Distillation
METHANOL SYNTHESIS


  Methanolis produced from synthesis gas through the following
equations:
 ∆H(298K) = -91 kJ/mol
 In addition the water gas shift reaction occurs over the copper-catalyst:
 ∆H(298K)= -47 kJ/mol
 method for methanol production is partial oxidation of methane, known
as the direct route. The reaction mechanism is
RAW MATERIAL AND CATALYST

 Raw material used in this process is natural gas, oxygen

and steam.
 The current catalysts used in low pressure methanol
synthesis are composed of copper oxide and zinc oxide on
a carrier of aluminium oxide; Cu/ZnO/Al2O3
 This catalyst is proven to have a high activity, particularly
at lower temperatures.
REACTOR

Temperature : 254˚C
Pressure: 42 bar
Heat transfer coefficient: 3000
W/m2K
Catalyst density: 2000kg/m3

Figure 3.1 - Lurgi Methanol Reactor [internet]

 PROCESS BLOCK DIAGRAM
OXYGEN (FROM AIR
SEPARATION PLANT)

NATURAL D METHANOL
AUTOTHERMAL COMPRESSION
GAS W SYNTHESIS
REFORMER COOLING

WATER
METHANOL
STEAM REFORMER

STEAM
DISTILLATION
DME+
WATER
MATERIAL BALANCE FOR DISTILLATION
COLUMN
kmol/hr kmol/day mol frac
Distillate 1326.25 31830
MeOH 1299.725 31193.4 0.98
kmol/hr kmol/day mol frac DME 26.51667 636.4 0.02
FEED 2030.82 48739.68
MeOH 133.0583 3193.4 0.64
Distillation Column
H2O 385.8558 9260.539 0.19
DME 345.2396 8285.75 0.17
kmol/hr kmol/day mol frac
Bottom 1326.25 31830
H2O 385.4 9249.6 0.547
DME 319.17 7660.08 0.455
CONCLUSION

 Methanol can be produced from different feedstock resources such as natural

gas, naphtha, coal and biomass.
 Majority of methanol production plant nowadays is based on natural gas while
coal comes second and small amount of other alternative ways like biomass
and oil.
 The low-pressure catalytic process is used for methanol production from
syngas. The process includes desulphuring, steam reforming, methanol
synthesis and distillation, and Coal can further be converted into methanol
through gasification which is cleaner approach than traditional coal-to-liquids
technology.
THANK YOU