Liquid Phase Methanol Process Development Unit: installation, operation, and support studies. Technical progress report No. 10, 1 January-31 March 1984

Technical Report · Fri Apr 20 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:7077640

This extremely significant 10th quarter was highlighted by the successful shakedown operation of the LaPorte PDU. Obstacles to start-up, which included exotherms in the unit and the presence of carbonyls, were eliminated. For the successful 10-day PDU shakedown operation, 900 lb of EPJ-19LR catalyst were used. Methanol was produced from both balanced and CO-rich synthesis gas at various operating conditions, and ranged from 1.8 to 8.5 tpd. The highest catalyst productivity achieved during the run was 1.75 lb of methanol/lb catalyst-h, which is significantly higher than can be achieved in gas phase synthesis. Catalyst attrition was significant; the catalyst extrudates in the ebullated-bed reactor rapidly attrited. The catalyst formed an 18 wt % slurry by the end of the run. However, during the transition from ebullated to slurry catalyst, the PDU and catalyst performed very well, and catalyst activity remained high. Support work at CSI continued with autoclave testing of a new catalyst candidate for liquid-entrained operations, and with other miscellaneous tests for hydrodynamic characterization of catalyst powders. At APCI, a 250-h test using an ICI catalyst on balanced gas at a 37 wt % loading was successfully completed in the 300-cc autoclave. The results are very encouraging with respect to maximizing productivity on a reactor volume basis. To complete the data base on catalyst aging, a gas phase activity maintenance run was successfully conducted. The results suggest that CO may be important in catalyst deactivation for gas phase methanol synthesis. 6 references, 32 figures, 28 tables.

• Research Organization: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (USA); Chem Systems, Inc., Tarrytown, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-81PC30019
• OSTI ID: 7077640
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/30019-T11; ON: DE84012293
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

090221* -- Alcohol Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
AGING
ALCOHOLS
CATALYSTS
COAL LIQUEFACTION
DATA
DEACTIVATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
LIQUEFACTION
LIQUID PHASE METHANOL PROCESS
METHANOL
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PROCESS DEVELOPMENT UNITS
PRODUCTION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES