Production of Acetic Acid through Cryogenic Separation of Syngas

A method of producing acetic acid, comprising:

• converting methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in a dry reformer vessel into hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO);
• discharging syngas from the dry reformer vessel via a dry-reformer discharge conduit to a cryogenic separation system comprising a cryogenic distillation column, wherein the syngas comprises hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide;
• cryogenically separating carbon monoxide from the syngas via the cryogenic separation system;
• discharging from the cryogenic separation system a first stream comprising primarily carbon monoxide to a dimethyl ether (DME) carbonylation system comprising a DME-carbonylation reactor vessel;
• discharging from the cryogenic separation system a second stream comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide via a feed conduit to a methanol synthesis system comprising a methanol synthesis reactor comprising a vessel;
• bypassing a portion of the syngas from the discharge conduit around the cryogenic separation system to the feed conduit;
• and
• synthesizing methanol (CH3OH) from the second stream in the methanol synthesis system via hydrogenation of the carbon monoxide from the second stream in the methanol synthesis reactor.

A system for producing acetic acid, comprising:

• a dry reformer vessel to convert methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) into hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) and discharge synthesis gas (syngas) comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide;
• a cryogenic separation system to receive the syngas discharged from the dry reformer vessel and cryogenically separate carbon monoxide from the syngas to discharge a first stream comprising primarily carbon monoxide to a dimethyl ether (DME) carbonylation system operationally coupled to the cryogenic separation system and discharge a second stream comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide to a methanol synthesis system comprising a methanol-synthesis reactor vessel, wherein the cryogenic separation system comprises a cryogenic distillation column, and wherein the DME carbonylation system comprises a DME carbonylation reactor vessel;
• a bypass conduit to convey a portion of the syngas from the dry reformer vessel around the cryogenic separation system to the second stream;
• and
• the methanol synthesis system to form methanol (CH3OH) from the second stream via hydrogenation of the carbon monoxide from the second stream in the methanol-synthesis reactor vessel.