Process of producing gasoline from synthesis gas

Claim 1

A process of producing gasoline hydrocarbons (C 5+ ) from a synthesis gas containing mainly carbon oxides and hydrogen, comprising the steps of: (a) feeding said synthesis gas into a methanol synthesis zone containing a methanol synthesis catalyst and producing a methanol containing product, said catalyst being indirectly cooled by boiling water under a pressure of 15 to 90 bars to maintain its temperature in the range of 200° to 300° C., said water being supplied from a first reservoir to said methanol synthesis zone and recycled to said first reservoir. (b) withdrawing steam from said first reservoir, (c) subjecting the entire methanol containing product of step (a) to a gasoline synthesis stage containing a gasoline synthesis catalyst and producing a gasoline containing product, said gasoline synthesis catalyst being indirectly cooled by a cooling liquid and maintained at a temperature of about 250° to 400° C., (d) recycling said cooling liquid through an external heat exchanger zone, (e) withdrawing heat from said liquid in said heat exchanger zone by means of boiling water under pressure from and recycled to a second reservoir, (f) feeding fresh water into the first reservoir and feeding part of the boiling water from said first reservoir by a pumping means into said second reservoir, withdrawing steam with a pressure of at least 100 bars from said second reservoir. (g) cooling the gasoline containing product of step (c), from said product separating gasoline hydrocarbons and a residual gas comprising carbon oxides, hydrogen, methane and minor amounts of gaseous hydrocarbons of the C 2 to C 4 range, at least a portion of said residual gas being fed together with said synthesis gas into said methanol synthesis zone.