Low H[sub 2]/CO ratio synthesis gas conversion to methanol in a trickle bed reactor

Journal Article · Mon Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ie00023a024· OSTI ID:5537284

Tjandra, S; Anthony, R G; Akgerman, A ^[1]

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1. Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Chemical Engineering Dept.

The performance of a trickle bed reactor for methanol synthesis over a Cu/ZnO/Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] catalyst was investigated. The pressure was kept constant at 5.2 MPa, and the CO/CO[sub 2] ratio was maintained at 9.0 throughout the investigation. The effects of time on stream, space velocity, H[sub 2]/(CO + CO[sub 2]) ratio, and liquid-phase flow rate on methanol productivity were studied at 508, 523, and 533 K. The H[sub 2]/(CO + CO[sub 2]) ratios were set at 0.5, 1.0, and 2. The space velocity was in the range 3,000--20,000 L/(h kg of catalyst) at 523 K and 3,000--8,000 L/(h kg of catalyst) at 508 and 533 K. The feed gas along with an inert oil was passed over a fixed bed of catalyst particles of size 500--600 [mu]m. The product was mainly methanol with small amounts of water. The catalyst deactivated during the first 100 h on stream and reached a steady-state activity which was maintained for over 1,000 h at stream. Methanol and water productivities increased with space velocity and with H[sub 2]/(CO + CO[sub 2]) ratio, as well as with temperature. Productivities as high as 39.5 mol of methanol/(h kg of catalyst) were achieved. The results are compared to slurry reactor data at the same and similar conditions.

• DOE Contract Number: FG22-89PC89787
• OSTI ID: 5537284
• Journal Information: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research; (United States), Vol. 32:11; ISSN 0888-5885
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
CHEMICAL REACTORS
PERFORMANCE
METHANOL
PRODUCTION
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CARBON MONOXIDE
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COPPER
HYDROGEN
MEDIUM PRESSURE
SYNTHESIS GAS
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
ZINC OXIDES
ALCOHOLS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KINETICS
METALS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
TEMPERATURE RANGE
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
010408* - Coal
Lignite
& Peat- C1 Processes- (1987-)