A model for liquid phase methanol synthesis process in a cocurrent flow entrained reactor
- Univ. of Akron, Akron, OH (United States)
- Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA (United States)
Experimental studies on the liquid phase synthesis of methanol were performed in an entrained reactor. In this three-phase process, syngas reacts in the presence of the catalyst-oil slurry, to form the product methanol. The effect of various operating conditions which included reactor temperature, pressure, flow rates of slurry and syngas, slurry holdup tank pressure, syngas composition and catalyst loadings, on the reactor productivity were studied. An overall experimental reaction rate model to predict the productivity of methanol using the operating conditions as the variables was developed, and the results were compared with the experimental data. A computer model was also developed that predicts the reactivity of all species involved in the methanol synthesis process in an entrained reactor, from inlet conditions. This model incorporates the kinetic rate expression and the gas-liquid mass transfer correlation that was developed for the methanol synthesis process in a liquid entrained reactor. The rate of production of methanol predicted by this computer model agreed well with the experimental results. The overall experimental reaction rate model and the computer model assists in the development, scale-up and commercialization of the liquid phase methanol synthesis process in an entrained reactor.
- OSTI ID:
- 254858
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940813--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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