TITLE: Effect of CO(sub 2) and H(sub 2)O and their interaction in a novel slurry phase synthesis of methanol.

AUTHOR: V. M. Palekar;   Z. Liu;   Y. T. Shah;   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],  1991,  7p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE92011253INW

NOTES: Annual international Pittsburgh coal conference (8th), Pittsburgh, PA (United States), 14-18 Oct 1991. Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

ABSTRACT:

Experimental results on the influence of CO(sub 2) and H(sub 2)O in a novel liquid phase ''concurrent'' synthesis of methanol are presented. The synthesis carried out in a single reactor under mild conditions (T = 150(degrees)C; P = 910 psig) likely involves the carbonylation of methanol to methyl formate followed by the hydrogenolysis of the methyl formate to two molecules of methanol; the net result is the hydrogenation of CO to give methanol. Carbon dioxide is not an intermediate in this system. The tolerance of the alkali methoxide/Cu-chromite catalyst system to CO(sub 2) and H(sub 2)O will be discussed.

REPORT  NUMBER: CONF-911041-6

CONTRACT  NUMBER: FG22-89PC89786