Methanol from biomass gasification
AssigneeCasale SA
InventorsIsabella MUSCIONICO, Pietro MOREO
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Process for the synthesis of methanol comprising the steps of: subjecting a biomass to a gasification process in presence of steam and an oxidant; subjecting the so obtained gasifier stream to water gas shift conversion and purification to yield a synthesis gas with hydrogen, carbon monoxide and CO2; mixing said synthesis gas with a second stream of synthesis gas to yield a third stream of synthesis gas; feeding said third stream of synthesis gas to a methanol synthesis loop wherein a crude methanol and a tail gas retaining methane are produced; subjecting said tail gas to a reforming step in presence of an oxidant to generate said second stream of synthesis gas.
Claims21
1-20. (canceled)
A process for synthesis of methanol, the process comprising:
- a) subjecting a biomass feedstock to a gasification process in presence of steam and an oxidant to generate a gasifier stream;
- b) subjecting said gasifier stream to a water gas shift conversion and to a purification step to yield a first stream of synthesis gas retaining hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and CO2;
- c) mixing said first stream of synthesis gas with a second stream of synthesis gas to yield a third stream of synthesis gas;
- d) feeding said third stream of synthesis gas to a methanol synthesis loop in which catalytic conversion of carbon oxides to methanol is carried out under methanol synthesis conditions, thereby obtaining a crude methanol and a tail gas retaining methane;
- and
- e) subjecting said tail gas to a reforming step in presence of an oxidant to generate said second stream of synthesis gas of step c).
A plant for producing methanol, the plant comprising:
- a) a front end including a gasification section configured to convert a biomass feedstock in presence of steam and an oxidant into a gasifier stream, a water gas shift converter and a CO2 removal section to yield a first stream of synthesis gas retaining hydrogen, carbon monoxide and CO2;
- b) a methanol synthesis loop including a methanol synthesis reactor configured to generate a crude methanol and a tail gas;
- c) a line provided with a compression unit connecting said methanol front-end with said methanol synthesis loop;
- d) a tail gas treatment section connecting said methanol synthesis loop with said line connecting said methanol front-end with said methanol synthesis loop, wherein said tail gas treatment section includes:
- a water saturation tower arranged downstream of said methanol synthesis loop and configured to generate a saturated stream;
- a pre-heating unit in communication with said saturation tower;
- a reforming unit in communication said preheating unit and configured to generate a second stream of synthesis gas;
- and
- a line connecting said reforming unit with said compression unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.