Making a methanol product in a slurry bubble reactor
AssigneeExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
InventorJames R. Lattner
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Abstract
This invention is directed to a process of making a methanol product using a slurry bubble reactor. The reactor is operated in the liquid phase, with catalyst particles being suspended in the liquid. The invention provides for efficient use of heat and recovery of product by feeding cool syngas into the reactor, while maintaining a high degree of backmixing within the reactor. Complex cooling equipment is not required in the reaction process.
Claims18
A process for making a methanol product in a slurry bubble reactor, comprising:
- feeding syngas to a slurry bubble reactor, wherein the reactor has a liquid height to diameter ratio of not greater than 10:1;
- and
- contacting the syngas with methanol forming catalyst in the reactor at a superficial gas velocity of at least 0.05 m/sec to form methanol product, wherein the reactor is maintained at a pressure of not greater than 100 bar absolute and at an average reactor outlet temperature of not greater than 220° C., without applying external or internal cooling.
A process for controlling average reactor outlet temperature in a process for making methanol product in a slurry bubble reactor, comprising:
- feeding syngas to a slurry bubble reactor, wherein the reactor has a liquid height to diameter ratio of not greater than 10:1;
- contacting the syngas with methanol forming catalyst in the reactor at a superficial gas velocity of at least 0.05 m/sec to form methanol product;
- separating at least a portion of unreacted synthesis gas components from the methanol product into a concentrated liquid methanol product and a vapor containing syngas;
- and
- recycling at least some of the vapor containing the syngas back to the reactor at a temperature or volume flow rate to control or maintain the reactor at a predetermined average reactor outlet temperature of not greater than 220° C. and at a pressure of not greater than 100 bar absolute, and wherein the reactor is operated without applying external or internal cooling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.