Methanol production method and system

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:865195

Chen, Michael J ^[1]; Rathke, Jerome W ^[2]

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1. Darien, IL
2. Bolingbrook, IL

Ethanol is selectively produced from the reaction of methanol with carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the presence of a transition metal carbonyl catalyst. Methanol serves as a solvent and may be accompanied by a less volatile co-solvent. The solution includes the transition metal carbonyl catalysts and a basic metal salt such as an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal formate, carbonate or bicarbonate. A gas containing a high carbon monoxide to hydrogen ratio, as is present in a typical gasifer product, is contacted with the solution for the preferential production of ethanol with minimal water as a byproduct. Fractionation of the reaction solution provides substantially pure ethanol product and allows return of the catalysts for reuse.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• Assignee: United States Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4476334
• OSTI ID: 865195
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

methanol
production
method
ethanol
selectively
produced
reaction
carbon
monoxide
hydrogen
presence
transition
metal
carbonyl
catalyst
serves
solvent
accompanied
volatile
co-solvent
solution
catalysts
basic
salt
alkali
alkaline
earth
formate
carbonate
bicarbonate
gas
containing
ratio
typical
gasifer
product
contacted
preferential
minimal
water
byproduct
fractionation
provides
substantially
pure
allows
return
reuse
ethanol production
gas containing
substantially pure
carbon monoxide
alkali metal
alkaline earth
transition metal
metal salt
earth metal
metal carbonyl
methanol production
provides substantially
provides substantial
metal formate
solution provides
basic metal
metal carbon
carbonyl catalyst
hydrogen ratio
preferential production
production method
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