Process of producing a synthesis gas for methanol synthesis

Claim 1

In the production of synthesis gas for methanol synthesis and reacting the synthesis gas in the presence of a catalyst to produce a high-methanol product stream, the improvement which comprises feeding into an autothermic reforming reactor (a) a feed gas containing methane, (b) water, (c) oxygen and (d) a high-hydrogen gas which contains free hydrogen, per carbon atom in the feed gas there being supplied 1.2 to 2.0 molecules H 2 O, 0.4 to 0.8 molecules O 2 and 0.2 to 0.5 molecules H 2 , the hydrogen in said high-hydrogen gas coming at least in part from a plant other than from the instant methanol process, said reactor containing a bed of a granular nickel catalyst and a catalyst-free space above said bed, the volume of said catalyst-free space being 10-30% of the total volume of said catalyst bed, said feed gas (a), said oxygen (c) and said high-hydrogen gas (d) being fed into said catalyst-free space, autothermically reacting said feed gas in said reactor at a pressure of 10 to 100 bars, and withdrawing from said reactor a raw synthesis gas having a temperature in the range of 850° to 1100° C., said raw synthesis gas containing methane not in excess of 3 mole percent, without removal of carbon dioxide producing a synthesis gas which is suitable for the methanol synthesis in which the values of the molar ratios of the components H 2 , CO and CO 2 in the formula (H 2 -CO 2 ):(CO+CO 2 ) is from 1.97 to 2.2.