Process and plant for the production of methanol with isothermal catalytic beds

A process for the synthesis of methanol, comprising the steps of obtaining a make-up gas feed from reforming or gasification, feeding said make up gas to a synthesis loop (L), converting said make up gas to methanol in a catalytic environment while removing heat directly from said catalytic environment, so that said environment is isothermal, condensing said methanol obtaining liquid crude methanol and a recycle gas which is recycled to said synthesis loop, wherein:

• said catalytic environment comprises a plurality of isothermal catalytic beds,
• at least a portion of said make-up gas feed is mixed with recycle gas, to obtain a gaseous mixture of fresh gas and recycle gas, and at least a portion of said gaseous mixture is directed between a first and a second catalytic bed of said environment, said gaseous mixture of fresh gas and recycle gas being mixed with the effluent of said first catalytic bed, forming the feed of said second catalytic bed.