Methanol

Claim 2

A methanol production process which comprises: a. generating methanol synthesis gas by reacting a carbonaceous feedstock with steam in one or more stages at the outlet of which there is delivered a gas stream at over 400° C; b. generating steam at a pressure of at least 50 ata by passing water in heat exchange with the gas stream of stage (a); c. bringing synthesis gas to synthesis pressure in the range 30 to 400 ata by means of a compressor driven by an engine in which such steam is let down; d. synthesizing methanol from synthesis gas by passing synthesis gas from stage (c) over a catalyst containing copper and zinc oxide at an outlet temperature of under 300° C; e. transferring heat evolved in the methanol synthesis of stage (d) from methanol-containing synthesis gas effluent to water to heat said water to a temperature in the range 200° C to 260° C, said water maintained under a pressure too high to permit boiling to take place, by passing said methanol-containing synthesis gas through two parallel heat exchangers, the first of which heats synthesis gas to methanol synthesis inlet temperature and the second of which heats said water; f. passing the hot water from stage (e) to stage (b) as a water source in the heat exchange for steam generation; and g. recovering methanol from the cooled methanol-containing synthesis gas from stage (e).

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1 in which the temperature of the gas stream after the heat exchange in stage (b) is more than 225° C.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 1 in which methanol synthesis gas is generated in stage (a) by a steam reforming process, said steam reforming process being fed by exhaust steam from the let-down engine of stage (c).

Claim 5

A process according to claim 3 including in stage (d) injecting cool synthesis gas into synthesis gas from (c) to control methanol synthesis temperature.

Claim 6

A methanol production process which comprises: a. generating methanol synthesis gas by reacting a carbonaceous feedstock with steam in one or more stages at the outlet of which there is delivered a gas stream at over 400° C; b. generating steam at a pressure of at least 50 ata by passing water in heat exchange with the gas stream of stage (a); c. bringing synthesis gas to synthesis pressure in the range 30 to 400 ata by means of a compressor driven by an engine in which such steam is let down; d. synthesizing methanol from synthesis gas by passing synthesis gas from stage (c) over a catalyst containing copper and zinc oxide at an outlet temperature of under 300° C; e. transferring heat evolved in the methanol synthesis of stage (d) to water maintained under a pressure that permits boiling, condensing the steam so produced in heat exchange with water to heat said water to a temperature in the range 200° to 260° C, said water maintained under a pressure too high to permit boiling to take place, and passing the methanol-containing synthesis gas effluent through a heat exchanger which heats synthesis gas to methanol synthesis inlet temperature; f. passing the hot water from stage (e) to stage (b) as a water source in the heat exchange for steam generation; and g. recovering methanol from the cooled methanol-containing synthesis gas from stage (e).

Claim 7

A methanol production process which comprises: a. generating methanol synthesis gas by reacting a carbonaceous feedstock with steam in one or more stages at the outlet of which there is delivered a gas stream at over 400° C; b. generating steam at a pressure of at least 50 ata by passing water in heat exchange with the gas stream of stage (a); c. bringing synthesis gas to synthesis pressure in the range 30 to 400 ata by means of a compressor driven by an engine in which such steam is let down; d. synthesizing methanol from synthesis gas by passing synthesis gas from stage (c) over a catalyst containing copper and zinc oxide at an outlet temperature of under 300° C; e. transferring heat evolved in the methanol synthesis of stage (d) to water maintained under a pressure that permits boiling, condensing the steam so produced in heat exchange with water to heat said water to a temperature in the range 200° to 260° C, said water maintained under a pressure too high to permit boiling to take place, and passing the methanol-containing synthesis gas effluent through a heat exchanger which heats synthesis gas to methanol synthesis inlet temperature; f. passing the hot water from stage (e) to stage (b) as a water source in the heat exchange for steam generation; and g. recovering methanol from the cooled methanol-containing synthesis gas from stage (e).

Claim 8

A process according to claim 5 in which the temperature of the gas stream after the heat exchange in stage (b) is more than 225° C.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 5 in which methanol synthesis gas is generated in stage (a) by a steam reforming process, said steam reforming process being fed by exhaust steam from the let-down engine of stage (c).

Claim 10

A methanol production process which comprises: a. generating methanol synthesis gas by reacting carbon monoxide with steam in one or more stages at the outlet of which there is delivered a gas stream at over 400° C; b. generating steam at a pressure of at least 50 ata by passing water in heat exchange with the gas stream of stage (a); c. bringing synthesis gas to synthesis pressure in the range 30 to 400 ata by means of a compressor driven by an engine in which such steam is let down; d. synthesizing methanol from synthesis gas by passing synthesis gas from stage (c) over a catalyst containing copper and zinc oxide at an outlet temperature of under 300° C; e. transferring heat evolved in the methanol synthesis of stage (d) from methanol-containing synthesis gas effluent to water to heat said water to a temperature in the range 200° C to 260° C, said water maintained under a pressure too high to permit boiling to take place by passing said methanol-containing synthesis gas through two parallel heat exchangers, the first of which heats synthesis gas to methanol synthesis inlet temperature and the second of which heats said water; f. passing the hot water from stage (e) to stage (b) as a water source in the heat exchange for steam generation; and g. recovering methanol from the cooled methanol-containing synthesis gas from stage (e).

Claim 11

A methanol production process which comprises: a. generating methanol synthesis gas by reacting carbon monoxide with steam in one or more stages at the outlet of which there is delivered a gas stream at over 400° C; b. generating steam at a pressure of at least 50 ata by passing water in heat exchange with the gas stream of stage (a); c. bringing synthesis gas to synthesis pressure in the range 30 to 400 ata by means of a compressor driven by an engine in which such steam is let down; d. synthesizing methanol from synthesis gas by passing synthesis gas from stage (c) over a catalyst containing copper and zinc oxide at an outlet temperature of under 300° C; e. transferring heat evolved in the methanol synthesis of stage (d) from methanol-containing synthesis gas effluent to water to heat said water to a temperature in the range 200° C to 260° C, said water maintained under a pressure too high to permit boiling to take place by passing said methanol-containing synthesis gas through two parallel heat exchangers, the first of which heats synthesis gas to methanol synthesis inlet temperature and the second of which heats said water; f. passing the hot water from stage (e) to stage (b) as a water source in the heat exchange for steam generation; and g. recovering methanol from the cooled methanol-containing synthesis gas from stage (e).

Claim 12

A process according to claim 8 in which the temperature of the gas stream after the heat exchange in stage (b) is more than 225° C.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 9 including in stage (d) injecting cool synthesis gas into synthesis gas from (c) to control methanol synthesis temperature.

Claim 14

A methanol production process which comprises: a. generating methanol synthesis gas by reacting carbon monoxide with steam in one or more stages at the outlet of which there is delivered a gas stream at over 400° C; b. generating steam at a pressure of at least 50 ata by passing water in heat exchange with the gas stream of stage (a); c. bringing synthesis gas to synthesis pressure in the range 30 to 400 ata by means of a compressor driven by an engine in which such steam is let down; d. synthesizing methanol from synthesis gas by passing synthesis gas from stage (c) over a catalyst containing copper and zinc oxide at an outlet temperature of under 300° C; e. transferring heat evolved in the methanol synthesis of stage (d) to water maintained under a pressure that permits boiling, condensing the steam so produced in heat exchange with water to heat said water to a temperature in the range 200° to 260° C, said water maintained under a pressure too high to permit boiling to take place, and passing the methanol-containing synthesis gas effluent through a heat exchanger which heats synthesis gas to methanol synthesis inlet temperature; f. passing the hot water from stage (e) to stage (b) as a water source in the heat exchange for steam generation; and g. recovering methanol from the cooled methanol-containing synthesis gas from stage (e).

Claim 15

A methanol production process which comprises: a. generating methanol synthesis gas by reacting carbon monoxide with steam in one or more stages at the outlet of which there is delivered a gas stream at over 400° C; b. generating steam at a pressure of at least 50 ata by passing water in heat exchange with the gas stream of stage (a); c. bringing synthesis gas to synthesis pressure in the range 30 to 400 ata by means of a compressor driven by an engine in which such steam is let down; d. synthesizing methanol from synthesis gas by passing synthesis gas from stage (c) over a catalyst containing copper and zinc oxide at an outlet temperature of under 300° C; e. transferring heat evolved in the methanol synthesis of stage (d) to water maintained under a pressure that permits boiling, condensing the steam so produced in heat exchange with water to heat said water to a temperature in the range 200° to 260° C, said water maintained under a pressure too high to permit boiling to take place, and passing the methanol-containing synthesis gas effluent through a heat exchanger which heats synthesis gas to methanol synthesis inlet temperature; f. passing the hot water from stage (e) to stage (b) as a water source in the heat exchange for steam generation; and g. recovering methanol from the cooled methanol-containing synthesis gas from stage (e).

Claim 16

A process according to claim 11 in which the temperature of the gas stream after the heat exchange in stage (b) is more than 225° C.