Methanol synthesis converter and process

A catalytic converter for synthesis of methanol, the catalytic converter comprising:

• a pressure vessel including:
• a catalytic bed configured to contain a catalyst and having an annular configuration;
• a set of cooling elements;
• said catalytic bed being configured as either an adiabatic catalytic bed, wherein said cooling elements are downstream the catalytic bed, or an isothermal catalytic bed, wherein said set of cooling elements are arranged to be immersed in the catalyst of the catalytic bed;
• an effluent heat exchanger arranged to transfer heat from a hot methanol-containing gas effluent from the catalytic bed to a cooling medium;
• wherein said effluent heat exchanger being located in a central cavity of the annular catalytic bed, so that said catalytic bed is arranged concentrically around said effluent heat exchanger;
• wherein said effluent heat exchanger is a feed-effluent heat exchanger arranged to transfer heat from said hot methanol-containing gas effluent from the catalytic bed to a syngas feed to be reacted, so that said syngas feed is preheated before entering said catalytic bed;
• wherein said effluent heat exchanger includes:
• a first side for the syngas feed, wherein an output of said first side is in communication with an inlet of said catalytic bed;
• a second side for the hot methanol-containing gas, wherein an inlet of said second side is in communication with an outlet of said catalytic bed;
• and
• a methanol condenser contained in said pressure vessel, wherein said methanol condenser is arranged downstream of and in fluid communication with said effluent heat exchanger, so to receive a cooled methanol-containing gas effluent from said second side of said effluent heat exchanger and to produce a liquid methanol-containing product.