Methanol synthesis via methyl formate in the liquid phase
An alternative route of synthesizing methanol from hydrogen and carbon monoxide, methanol synthesis via methyl formate, was studied. This synthesis route basically involves two reactions, carbonylation of methanol to methyl formate and hydrogenolysis of methyl formate to methanol. These two reactions are studied separately and jointly in the liquid phase. A carbonylation rate equation using potassium methoxide as the catalyst and a hydrogenolysis rate equation using a manganese promoted copper chromite (Cu/Cr/Mn) catalyst are developed. The effect of operating conditions and some chemicals on these reactions are investigated. The two-step reaction route to produce MeOH is not superior to the current industrial route-direct synthesis of H{sub 2} and CO to MeOH. Thermodynamic and kinetic studies are made for carrying out the two reactions concurrently in a single slurry reactor using both catalysts. The concurrent methanol synthesis has many advantages over the current industrial gas phase methanol synthesis; among them are high synthesis rate, low reaction temperature, little or no synthesis gas recycle and high rate of heat removal from the reactor. The concurrent synthesis has advantages over the two-stage process (carrying out the two reactions separately): it uses less equipment, the carbonylation catalyst is more tolerable to CO{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O; the hydrogenolysis catalyst is more tolerable to CO and CO{sub 2}. An interaction between the two catalysts is founded. A major problem using Cu/Cr/Mn catalyst in the concurrent synthesis is a slow decrease in activity with time. A barium promoted copper chromite catalyst (Cu/Cr/Ba) was found to have similar activity and was more stable than the Cu/Cr/Mn catalyst.
- Research Organization:
- Pittsburgh Univ., PA (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 7035152
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ALCOHOLS
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BARIUM
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CARBONYLATION
CARBOXYLIC ACID SALTS
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
DEHYDROGENATION
ELEMENTS
FORMATES
HYDROGENATION
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KINETICS
MANGANESE
METALS
METHANOL
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
PROMOTERS
REACTION KINETICS
SYNTHESIS
THERMODYNAMICS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS