TITLE: Liquid phase methanol LaPorte process development unit: Modification, operation, and support studies. Task 3.2, CO(sub 2) effects on methanol productivity in the LPMEOH process.

INST.  AUTHOR: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA;   Chem Systems, Inc., Tarrytown, NY (United States).

LANGUAGE: English

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: United States

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DE],  5 Oct 90,  50p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE91010678INW

ABSTRACT:

In April 1987, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. started the third and final contract to develop the Liquid Phase Methanol (LPMEOH*) process. In support of this contract, the effect of CO(sub 2) concentration on the CH(sub 3)OH production rate was investigated using a lab-scale autoclave reactor. The feed CO(sub 2) concentration was varied by using feed gases which simulated the composition of Texaco gasifier-derived synthesis gas after addition or removal of CO(sub 2). In addition, since H(sub 2)O and CO are readily shifted in-situ to CO(sub 2) and H(sub 2), steam addition was also investigated to complement this study. The CH(sub 3)OH production rate was found to be a strong function of CO(sub 2) concentration at a reaction temperature of 250(degrees)C. It first increases with increasing feed CO(sub 2) level, passes through a maximum at 8% CO(sub 2), and than decreases with further increase in feed CO(sub 2) up to 17%. With 8% CO(sub 2) in the feed, the CH(sub 2)OH production rate at 10,000 stand. lit./kg-hr gas-hourly-space-velocity (GHSV) is approximately 15% higher than that for the base Texaco gasifier gas, suggesting that CO(sub 2) removal from Texaco gasifier gas is a viable means of maximizing CH(sub 3)OH productivity. The effect of steam addition on CH(sub 3)OH production rate was found to depend on both the feed CO(sub 2) level and GHSV. The feed gases with the low feed CO(sub 2) levels exhibited the most benefit from steam addition. For a particular feed CO(sub 2) concentration, the benefit from steam addition was greater at lower GHSV. 17 refs., 11 figs., 3 tabs.

REPORT  NUMBER: DOE/PC/90005-T37

CONTRACT  NUMBER: AC22-87PC90005