Process Simulation and Integration of Methanol Production

3rd Year Chemical Engineering Research Project By: Aaron McClean

Introduction
Welcome to this Presentation on the Simulation and Integration of a Methanol Production Process

The Project in Brief

The Project Involves the Simulation of a conventional methanol process using Aspen simulation software. Using stream data obtained from the simulation and Process Integration techniques, a maximum energy recovery system is then designed

Three Project Objectives

Development of a Methanol Production Process Simulation of the Methanol Production Process using Aspen Plus Carryout Process Integration on the Methanol Process to gain a Maximum Energy Recovery system

Development of a Methanol Production Process

Research into various routes for the production of methanol Process selection Producing a Flow Diagram of the Process Collecting information on the physical properties and characteristics of the Process

Process Flow Diagram

Natural Gas

This diagram shows the main sections in Methanol Production

Oxygen Steam

Combustion Synthesis Gas

Reaction
Crude Methanol

Distillation

Methanol

Process Sections
Partial Combustion of Natural Gas to produce Synthesis Gas Conversion of Synthesis Gas to Methanol Purification of Crude Methanol by Distillation

Partial Combustion of Natural Gas to produce Synthesis Gas

Natural Gas composed of 80% Methane, 15% Ethane and 5% Propane Partial Combustion Reaction
Natural Gas + O2 CO + H2

Water Shift reaction

Natural Gas + H2O
CO + H2O

CO + 3H2
CO2 + H2

Conversion of Synthesis Gas to Methanol

Methanol Conversion Reactions
CO + 2H2
2CO + 4H2

CH3OH
CH3OCH3 + H2O

CO2 + H2

CO + H2O

Process Diagram

Simulation of the Methanol Production Process using Aspen Plus

Aspen Plus is a Computer Simulation Package for Chemical Processes It is Primarily used as a labour and time saving tool It is still only a tool, and does not replace the knowledge required by the Process Engineer

Aspen Plus User Interface

Aspen Plus User Interface

Methanol Process Simulation

Process Integration
What is Process Integration? What does Process Integration involve? Why carry out Process Integration?

What is Process Integration

Process Integration is the optimisation of a Chemical Process to produce a Maximum energy recovery system
Cool FEED RECYCLE

FEED
Cool

Reactor
Heat

PRODUCT

Heat

BYPRODUCT

What does Process Integration involve?

Pinch Technology What is a Pinch Analysis? What is required for the analysis? How is an analysis performed?

What is a Pinch Analysis?

Linking streams that need heating to those that need cooling
RECYCLE HEATING Heat

160

2500
REAC. OUT COOLING Cool

130 160

210

270
REACTOR

210

1980

50

FEED HEATING
Heat

PRODUCT COOLING

3200

220

Cool

60 3520

What is a Pinch Analysis?

What is meant by the Pinch
RECYCLE STEAM 1620 178 160 880 CW 180 160 DIST VAP130 60 2640 220

210

REACTOR
210

REAC. OUT 270 160 Distillation Column

149 STEAM

FEED 50
Above Pinch Below Pinch

1220

1980

220

PRODUCT

What is meant by the Pinch

The Composite Curve
T

QHmin

Pinch (Hot) Pinch (Cold)

QCmin

The Composite Curve

T T

270 220 160

Product
Reac. Out

210 160
Recycle Feed

60

3520

1980 H

50

3200

2500 H

No 1 2

Name
Product Reac. Out

Tsupply 220 270

Ttarget 60 160

DH 3520 1980

No 3 4

Name
Feed Recycle

Tsupply 50 160

Ttarget 210 210

DH 3200 2500

The Composite Curve

QHMIN = 1000

250 Hot Composite Curve

200

D Tmin= 20
150

100

50 Cold Composite Curve 0 Qcmin= 800

Hot Utility Target QHMIN = 1000

Cold Utility Target QCMIN = 800

Creating a heat exchanger network

Product
Reac. Out

220 270

180

80

C C

60 160

235.6

180

440

360
210 210 177.6 160 50

Feed

190

1000

160 Recycle

2200

1000

620

880

QH= 1000 min

QC= 800 min

Driving force plot

DT

a DTmin

b
Driving Force Plot Representation of driving forces for vertical heat transfer

Tcold composite

Driving Force plot used to check the use of exchangers

DT
CP
1 2 0.5

TC

Why carry out Process Integration?

Process Costs Reduced
No Integration
40 Steam (100C)
DH = 1000

Integration

40
DH = 1000

40
DH = 1000

40

40

40

100

DH = 1000

C C C

50

100

DH = 1000 DH = 1000 DH = 1000

50

100

DH = 1000

50

100

50

100

DH = 1000

50

100

50

20

20

20

Cooling water (20-40C)

20

20

20

Total Heat Transferred = 6000kW Area = 112m

Total Heat Transferred = 3000kW Area = 69m

Process Integration on Methanol Process

Summary
Aspen Plus is a great tool for the development of chemical processes or carrying out analysis on existing processes

Process Integration gives a reduction in the amount of Energy required in the process
Pinch Technology can be used to reduce the number of Heat Exchangers required

Thank You for your time and patience

Please feel free to ask questions or give feed back on this presentation