TITLE: Catalytic studies on a novel synthesis of methanol.

AUTHOR: V. M. Palekar;   J. W. Tierney;   I. Wender.

INST.  AUTHOR: Pittsburgh Univ., PA. Dept. of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering.

SPONSOR: Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  28 Jun 91,  24p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE92002904INW

NOTES: Summer national meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 20-22 Aug 1991. Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

ABSTRACT:

Catalytic studies on a new method for methanol synthesis from CO and H(sub 2) in a slurry reactor are described. This reaction proceeds through the carbonylation of methanol to methyl formate in the liquid phase followed by hydrogenolysis of methyl formate to two molecules of methanol; the net result is the reaction of CO with H(sub 2) to give methanol.  Moderate temperatures and pressures (100--160(degrees)C, 50--65 atm) are used. Reaction rates using mixed catalysts comprised of an alkali methoxide and Cu-chromite are presented. It seems likely that Cu-chromite maintains the activity of the alkali methoxide catalyst. A mixed catalyst comprised of potassium methoxide and Cu-chromite was found to be the most active under the reaction conditions used. Evidence is provided for an interaction between the alkali methoxide and Cu-chromite. 27 refs., 6 figs., 2 tabs.

REPORT  NUMBER: CONF-910852-16

CONTRACT  NUMBER: FG22-89PC89786