TITLE: Synthesis of methanol in a methanol-rich liquid phase.

AUTHOR: Z. Liu;   V. Palekar;   J. W. Tierney;   I. Wender;   Y. T. Shah.

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],  9 Jul 90,  22p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE91009810INW

NOTES: 1990 summer national meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), San Diego, CA (USA), 19-22 Aug 1990. Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

ABSTRACT:

A novel method for synthesizing methanol from CO and H(sub 2) in a slurry reactor is described and experimental results are presented. At the temperatures and pressures used (100-160(degree)C, 50 atm) the methanol product is liquid and constitutes the bulk of the liquid phase. Small amounts of methyl formate (4 to 5%) and other products (less than 1% total) are formed. A heterogeneous catalyst (copper chromite) and a homogeneous catalyst (an alkali salt) are used in a single reactor. It appears likely that the reaction proceeds in two steps - carbonylation of methanol to methyl formate and then hydrogenation of the formate to two moles of methanol. Experiments were carried out in a 300 ml autoclave with continuous gas feed and intermittent liquid withdrawal. In situ reduction of the copper chromite was found to be as effective as external reduction and was used in all runs. A barium-promoted copper chromite showed substantially less deactivation than a manganese promoted one. Of six homogeneous catalysts tested the most effective was potassium methoxide, although some reaction occurred with all the homogeneous catalysts used.  The rate of reaction was found to vary with gas feed rate - an unexpected result. It is proposed that this is due to the presence of small amounts of an inhibiting agent which accumulates in the liquid at low flow rates. 7 refs., 2 tabs.

REPORT  NUMBER: CONF-900828-11

CONTRACT  NUMBER: FG22-89PC89786;   FG22-84PC71257