Methanol derivation from North Dakota lignite and use as a utility or industrial boiler fuel

Conference · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Ind. Eng. Chem., Prod. Res. Dev.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6399983

Glass, E C; Freeman, A L; Wentworth, T O

Methanol derivation from North Dakota lignite and use as a utility or industrial boiler fuel were examined in a feasibility study carried out by Wentworth Brothers Inc. under a joint sponsorship of 20 potential users, including 16 electric and natural gas utilities, an industrial user, an equipment manufacturer, a coal company, and the Electric Power Research Institute. The study evaluated an integrated process plant built in western North Dakota to produce 2.5 billion gal/yr of methanol from $7.50/ton (delivered cost) North Dakota lignite. The plant design was based on noncatalytic partial oxidation of a 55% aqueous coal slurry with oxygen and steam at 1550 psi in Texaco gasifiers. The synthesis gas produced is converted to methanol after desulfurization and shift conversion to 2:1 CO/H/sub 2/. The process thermal efficiency is 52-54%. The estimated plant investment is $2 billion (1978 dollars), and the cost of the methanol is $3-$4.80/million Btu, depending mainly on financing. A 22 in. pipeline to transport the methanol to the Superior, Wis., terminal, with an extension to Pine Bend, Minn., would cost $260 million.

• Research Organization: Northern States Power Co.
• OSTI ID: 6399983
• Report Number(s): CONF-790579-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Ind. Eng. Chem., Prod. Res. Dev.; (United States) Journal Volume: 18:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010500* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Products & By-Products
090221 -- Alcohol Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALCOHOLS
BOILER FUELS
BROWN COAL
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COAL
COST
DATA
DESIGN
DESULFURIZATION
DISPERSIONS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FEDERAL REGION V
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FINANCING
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAS UTILITIES
GASES
HIGH PRESSURE
HYDROGEN
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
INVESTMENT
LIGNITE
MATERIALS
METHANOL
METHANOL PLANTS
MINNESOTA
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NORTH DAKOTA
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PIPELINES
PRODUCTION
PUBLIC UTILITIES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SHIFT PROCESSES
SLURRIES
STEAM
SUSPENSIONS
SYNTHESIS GAS
TERMINAL FACILITIES
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
TRANSPORT
USA
USES
WISCONSIN