# US 11,306,048 B2 · Process and a plant for the production of methanol

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- Number: US 11,306,048 B2
- Document ID: US11306048B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/055,284
- Filed: 2019-06-11
- Published: 2021-06-24
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-12
- Assignees: Haldor TopsøE A/S
- Applicants: Haldor TopsøE A/S
- Inventors: Søren Grønborg Eskesen; Per Juul Dahl; Emil Andreas Tjärnehov; Max Thorhauge
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11306048B2

## CPC

- C07C 29/154: containing copper, silver, gold, or compounds thereof
- B01J 19/002: {Avoiding undesirable reactions or side-effects, e.g. avoiding explosions, or improving the yield by suppressing side-reactions}
- B01J 23/80: with zinc, cadmium or mercury
- C07C 29/151: with hydrogen or hydrogen-containing gases
- C07C 29/152: characterised by the reactor used
- B01J 2219/00054: Controlling or regulating the heat exchange system
- B01J 2219/00162: controlling the pressure
- Y02P 20/52: using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A process for the production of methanol from synthesis gas via an equilibrium reaction is conducted in a methanol pre-converter within a certain operational window, said operational window being defined by the area below an approximately linear curve of the partial pressure of carbon monoxide vs. the boiling water temperature for water temperatures between 210 and 270° C. Methanol of different product grades may be obtained by operating in specific areas of the operational window.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for the production of methanol from synthesis gas via an equilibrium reaction proceeding at elevated temperatures under elevated pressure according to the synthesis reactions
CO+2H2↔CH3OH+heat (1)
CO2+3H2↔CH3OH+H2O+heat (2)
CO+H2O↔CO2+H2+heat (3)
in the presence of a catalyst, said process being conducted in a methanol pre-converter within an operational window, said operational window being
defined by the area below an approximately linear curve of the partial pressure of carbon monoxide vs. the boiling water temperature for water temperatures from 210 to 270° C., where the partial pressure of carbon monoxide increases from 20 kg/cm2 at 210° C. to 32.5 kg/cm2 at 270° C., and
divided into two areas by an estimated by-product curve of the partial pressure of carbon monoxide vs. the boiling water temperature, said areas leading to the production of methanol of different product qualities.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Process according to claim 1, which is conducted in an area within the operational window to the left of and below the by-product curve, which indicates the upper limit for obtaining grade AA methanol or methanol of similar quality.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Process according to claim 1, which is conducted in an area within the operational window to the right of and above the by-product curve, where the methanol product is a more byproduct-containing methanol product which is still pure enough to be a fuel grade or methanol-to-olefins (MTO) grade methanol.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Process according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst is a Cu/ZnO-based catalyst.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A plant for the production of methanol by the process according to claim 1, said plant comprising a make-up gas compressor and a synthesis reactor in a methanol loop,
wherein a once-through pre-converter is installed between the make-up gas compressor and the methanol loop, said pre-converter operating within the operational window defined by the area below the approximately linear, dashed curve of the partial pressure of carbon monoxide vs. the boiling water temperature for water temperatures from 210 to 270° C., where the partial pressure of carbon monoxide increases from 20 kg/cm2 at 210° C. to 32.5 kg/cm2 at 270° C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

A plant for the production of methanol by the process according to claim 2, said plant comprising a make-up gas compressor and a synthesis reactor in a methanol loop,
wherein a once-through pre-converter is installed between the make-up gas compressor and the methanol loop, said pre-converter operating within the operational window defined by the area below the approximately linear, dashed curve of the partial pressure of carbon monoxide vs. the boiling water temperature for water temperatures from 210 to 270° C., where the partial pressure of carbon monoxide increases from 20 kg/cm2 at 210° C. to 32.5 kg/cm2 at 270° C.