Production of methanol from lignite. Final report

Technical Report · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5769771· OSTI ID:5769771

Methyl fuel is a high grade liquid fuel ideally suited for electric power generation in steam boilers, gas turbines, and the forthcoming fuel cells. Further it can be readily converted to gas of pipeline quality (SNG) for peaking requirements. It can be transported and stored at low cost. Environmentally its combustion properties are superior to all hydrocarbon fuels including natural gas. Using technology which is known and proven today, Wentworth Brothers Incorporated has been commissioned by the participants previously listed to conduct a study utilizing an efficient integrated process design for a plant to produce clean-burning Methyl Fuel, by utilizing lignite from the mines of North Dakota. The plant is designed to produce 25,000 tons per day of Methyl Fuel (base case), equivalent to approximately 500 billion Btu per day, HHV (gross heating value). The plant will consume 43,768 tons of lignite (dry basis) per day. It also will produce 538 tons of sulfur per day. The plant is self-sufficient in steam, power and water requirements and in addition generates 176,110 KWH/Hr of electricity for export. The total capital investment is estimated to be 2,399 million dollars (First Quarter, 1978) for the plant producing 25,000 tons per day of Methyl Fuel. The capital investment includes the total plant investment, interest during construction and the working capital. The price of Methyl Fuel, FOB plant in First Quarter, 1978 dollars is estimated to be 3.58 dollars/million ($/MM) Btu HHV at 12.0% discounted cash flow return on equity.

• Research Organization: Wentworth Bros., Inc., Cincinnati, OH (USA); Braun (C.F.) and Co., Alhambra, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5769771
• Report Number(s): EPRI-AF-1161
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010404 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Gasification
010405* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
090221 -- Alcohol Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALCOHOLS
BROWN COAL
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COAL GASIFICATION
COAL LIQUEFACTION
COAL LIQUEFACTION PLANTS
COMBUSTION PROPERTIES
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DESIGN
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LIGNITE
LIQUEFACTION
MARKET
METHANOL
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH DAKOTA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN
PRODUCTION
RECOVERY
ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION
SULFUR
SYNTHESIS
SYNTHESIS GAS
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TEXACO GASIFICATION PROCESS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
USA