TITLE: Liquid Phase Methanol Process Development Unit: Installation, Operation, and Support Studies. Technical Progress Report No. 10, 1 January-31 March 1984.

INST.  AUTHOR: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA.

SPONSOR: Chem Systems, Inc., Tarrytown, NY.*Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  20 Apr 84,  150p.

ABSTRACT:

This extremely significant 10th quarter was highlighted by the successful shakedown operation of the LaPorte PDU. Obstacles to start-up, which included exotherms in the unit and the presence of carbonyls, were eliminated. For the successful 10-day PDU shakedown operation, 900 lb of EPJ-19LR catalyst were used. Methanol was produced from both balanced and CO-rich synthesis gas at various operating conditions, and ranged from 1.8 to 8.5 tpd. The highest catalyst productivity achieved during the run was 1.75 lb of methanol/lb catalyst-h, which is significantly higher than can be achieved in gas phase synthesis. Catalyst attrition was significant; the catalyst extrudates in the ebullated-bed reactor rapidly attrited. The catalyst formed an 18 wt % slurry by the end of the run. However, during the transition from ebullated to slurry catalyst, the PDU and catalyst performed very well, and catalyst activity remained high. Support work at CSI continued with autoclave testing of a new catalyst candidate for liquid-entrained operations, and with other miscellaneous tests for hydrodynamic characterization of catalyst powders. At APCI, a 250-h test using an ICI catalyst on balanced gas at a 37 wt % loading was successfully completed in the 300-cc autoclave. The results are very encouraging with respect to maximizing productivity on a reactor volume basis. To complete the data base on catalyst aging, a gas phase activity maintenance run was successfully conducted. The results suggest that CO may be important in catalyst deactivation for gas phase methanol synthesis. 6 references, 32 figures, 28 tables. (ERA citation 09:032794)

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/30019-T11

CONTRACT  NUMBER: AC22-81PC30019