A kinetic study of methanol synthesis in a slurry reactor using a CuO/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalyst

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1992

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10159747· OSTI ID:10159747

Al-Adwani, Hamad Abdulwahab ^[1]

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1. Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

A kinetic model that describes the methanol production rate over a CuO/ZnO/AI₂0₃ catalyst (United Catalyst L-951) at typical industrial operating conditions is developed using a slurry reactor. Different experiments are conducted in which the H₂/(CO+CO₂) ratio is equal to 2, 1, and 0.5, respectively, while the CO/CO₂ ratio is held constant at 9. At each H₂/(CO+CO₂) ratio the space velocity is set at four different values in the range of 3000-13,000 1/hr kg_cat. The effect of H₂/(CO+CO₂) ratio and space velocity on methanol production rate, conversions, and product composition is further investigated. The results indicate that the highest methanol production rate can be achieved at H₂/(CO+CO₂) ratio of 1 followed by H₂/(CO+CO₂) ratio of 0.5 and 2 respectively. The hydrogen and carbon monoxide conversions decrease with increasing space velocity for all H₂/(CO+CO₂) ratios tested. Carbon monoxide hydrogenation appears to be the main route to methanol at H₂/(CO+CO₂) ratio of 0.5 and 2. On the other hand, carbon dioxide hydrogenation appears to be the main route to methanol at H₂/(CO+CO₂) ratio of 1. At all H₂/(CO+CO₂) ratios, the extent of the reverse water gas shift reaction decreases with increasing space velocity. The effect of temperature on the kinetics is examined by using the same experimental approach at 508 K. It is found that a different reaction sequence takes place at each temperature. Also, a time on stream study is conducted simultaneously in order to investigate the characteristic of catalyst deactivation with time on stream. During the first 150 hours of time on stream, the catalyst loses approximately 2/3 of its initial activity before reaching a steady state activity.

• Research Organization: Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FG22-89PC89787
• OSTI ID: 10159747
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/89787-T4; ON: DE92016818
• Resource Relation: Other Information: TH: Thesis (M.S.); PBD: May 1992
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
METHANOL
SYNTHESIS
CARBON MONOXIDE
HYDROGENATION
CARBON DIOXIDE
COPPER OXIDES
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
ZINC OXIDES
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
HYDROGEN
QUANTITY RATIO
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
CATALYSTS
DEACTIVATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
CHEMICAL REACTORS
010408
100200
400201
C1 PROCESSES
PRODUCTION
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES