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US 4,309,359 AGranted
Energy process in methanol synthesis
AssigneeImperial Chemical Industries PLC
InventorAlwyn Pinto
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a process in which, after product recovery, an off-gas containing hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide is produced, energy economy is improved by reacting the off-gas in a fuel cell. The resulting electricity is preferably used for driving small machines in the process. The process is especially useful for producing methanol from natural gas feedstock and then includes the steps of methanating the off-gas and letting it down in an engine before passing it to a fuel cell.
Claims9
In a process for producing methanol by the steps of:
- (a) reacting a methanol synthesis gas containing hydrogen and at, least one of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide over a methanol synthesis catalyst to effect partial conversion to methanol;
- (b) cooling the resulting partly reacted gas and separating methanol from it;
- (c) recycling unreacted gas from separation Step (b) to synthesis Step (a);
- and
- (d) purging a portion of unreacted gas whereby to prevent excessive build-up of the proportion of non-reacting gases in the synthesis gas,
- the improvement resulting in decreased energy consumption per unit of methanol output which comprises passing said purged gas to one or more fuel cells whereby to generate electricity by oxidation of hydrogen contained therein.
3 more elements
A process for producing methanol in a plant by the steps of:
- (a) generating methanol synthesis gas;
- (b) passing hot gases produced in synthesis gas generation through a waste heat boiler whereby to generate steam;
- (c) expanding such steam in one or more pass-out turbines;
- (d) compressing synthesis gas to synthesis pressure and circulating said gas through methanol synthesis, methanol separation and unreacted gas recycle, by means of one or more machines driven by said pass-out turbines;
- (e) purging a minor portion of said unreacted gas, whereby to prevent the build-up of an excessive concentration of non-reacting gases in said synthesis gas;
- (f) passing said purge gas to one or more fuel cells whereby to generate electricity by oxidation of hydrogen contained therein;
- (g) using such electricity to power one or more machines of the plant.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.