Use of catalytic distillation reactor for methanol synthesis
AssigneeConoco Inc.
InventorsJoe D. Allison, Harold A. Wright, Todd H. Harkins, Doug S. Jack
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Abstract
An apparatus and method is disclosed for producing alcohols, particularly methanol, according to an alcohol synthesis process. The apparatus comprises a catalytic distillation reactor where reactants are fed into the catalytic distillation reactor to undergo catalytic reaction to form methanol. Methanol production beyond the thermodynamic limit is achieved in the apparatus through use of multiple distillation stages, preferably at least three.
Claims41
A method for the synthesis of at least one alcohol comprising,
- injecting reactants into an apparatus adapted for reacting chemicals to produce products and adapted for separating the products;
- and
- removing alcohol products from said apparatus;
- wherein the apparatus comprises:
- a reaction vessel having a first zone with a first reactor and first distillation stage and a second zone with a second reactor and a second distillation stage;
- said first and second reactors producing the products and said first and second distillation stages separating the products.
A method for the synthesis of at least one alcohol comprising;
- injecting reactants into a catalytic distillation reactor and removing alcohol products from said catalytic distillation reactor, wherein the catalytic distillation reactor comprises:
- a reaction vessel having a plurality of distillation zones and a catalytic material in each of said distillation zones.
A method for the synthesis of at least one alcohol comprising,
- injecting reactants into a catalytic distillation reactor and removing alcohol products from said catalytic distillation reactor, wherein the catalytic distillation reactor comprises:
- a reaction vessel;
- a plurality of trays, said trays disposed inside said reaction vessel at a plurality of vertical locations so as to divide said reaction vessel into a plurality of reaction chambers;
- at least one catalyst material positioned above at least one of said trays;
- a plurality of feedlines entering said reaction vessel, said feedlines positioned so as to deposit materials in one or more of said reaction chambers;
- a plurality of product lines, said product lines positioned so as to remove materials from one or more of said reaction chambers;
- and
- an exchanger for transferring heat, said exchanger being external to said vessel.
A method for the synthesis of at least one alcohol comprising,
- providing a catalytic distillation reactor comprising a reaction vessel, a plurality of distillation zones inside said reaction vessel, and a plurality of catalyst materials disposed in said distillation zones;
- injecting reactants into said catalytic distillation reactor and removing alcohol products from said catalytic distillation reactor.
A method for controlling the synthesis of at least one alcohol, said method comprising:
- providing a catalytic distillation reactor comprising a reaction vessel, a plurality of distillation zones inside said reaction vessel, and a plurality of catalyst materials disposed in said distillation zones;
- selecting a catalyst material for each distillation zone so as to optimize the synthesis of alcohols in said distillation zone;
- and
- selecting a number of distillation zones so as to optimize the production of said alcohol in said catalytic distillation reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.