PETROCHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY PRESENTATION

 NAVKET JHA
 16/CHE/041
 University Roll. 10300616041
 Dept. of Chemical Engineering
 I would take this opportunity to thank our Petrochemical
Technology teacher, Ms. Keka Rana for providing me the
opportunity to prepare this project and always being a helpful
guide in times of need.
Methanol Production Bridge to Sustainability
• Methanol is a “future proof”
molecule that can be made
from conventional fossil
sources and emerging
renewable feedstocks.

• Expansion of energy
markets for methanol builds
demand for sustainably-
sourced and locally-
produced methanol.
HISTORY & OVERVIEW

• THE FIRST USE OF METHANOL WAS IN THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN EMBALMING

PROCESS. IT WAS PRODUCED PRIMARILY FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION
OF WOOD WHICH IS WHY METHANOL IS FREQUENTLY CALLED WOOD ALCOHOL.
• METHANOL IS A POLAR LIQUID AT ROOM TEMPERATURE THAT IS COLORLESS,
VOLATILE, FLAMMABLE, AND POISONOUS. ITS PRINCIPAL USES ARE IN FUELS,
ORGANIC SYNTHESIS, SOLVENTS, AND ANTIFREEZE.
• PURE METHANOL WASN’T ISOLATED UNTIL 1661 BY ROBERT BOYLE. THE FRENCH
CHEMISTS JEAN-BAPTISTE DUMAS AND EUGENE PELIGOT DETERMINED ITS
ELEMENTAL COMPOSITION IN 1834.
• IN 1923, THE GERMAN CHEMISTS ALWIN MITTASCH AND MATHIAS PIER
DEVELOPED A MEANS TO CONVERT A MIXTURE OF CARBON MONOXIDE,
CARBON DIOXIDE, AND HYDROGEN INTO METHANOL. THE FIRST NOTED PATENT
WAS FILED 12 JANUARY 1926.
PRECURSORS

• NATURAL GAS IS THE MOST ECONOMICAL AND WIDELY USED FEEDSTOCK FOR METHANOL
PRODUCTION. HOWEVER, COAL IS INCREASING IN POPULARITY AS A FEEDSTOCK FOR
METHANOL PRODUCTION IN CHINA.
• CURRENTLY THREE METHODS ARE COMMONLY USED TO PRODUCE THE PRECURSOR
SYNTHESIS GAS FROM THE METHANE COMPONENT IN NATURAL GAS. THE METHODS ARE
STEAM-METHANE, PARTIAL OXIDATION WITH MOLECULAR OXYGEN, AND A COMBINATION
OF THE TWO, AUTOTHERMAL REFORMING (THECHEMCO).
• IN MANY PLANTS TODAY EITHER TUBULAR STEAM REFORMING OR TWO-STEP
REFORMING IS USED FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SYNTHESIS GAS. HOWEVER, STAND-ALONE
AUTOTHERMAL REFORMING AT A LOW STEAM TO CARBON RATIO IS THE PREFERRED
TECHNOLOGY.
• THE SYNTHESIS GAS PREPARATION AND COMPRESSION TYPICALLY ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT
60% OF THE INVESTMENT, AND ALMOST ALL ENERGY IS CONSUMED IN THIS PROCESS.
(LIU)
Conventional Methanol Production
Methanol convertor

Fuel Gas
Steam(H2O)

Natural Gas(fuel)
Natural Gas Reformer
To Burners

H2 Purge
Synthesis gas Methanol To H2 consumers
CO+H2 Converter
CO2+ H2

Methanol
Methanol/Water Distillation
CH3OH/H2O

Water

Reformer Distillation tower

Methanol Production – Coal
Gasification

Source: Johnson Matthey

One-step reforming: synthesis gas is produced by tubular steam reforming alone
(without the use of oxygen). It is primarily used where CO2 is contained in the
natural gas or available at low cost from other sources. Even though less popular a
methanol plant based on CO2 reforming was started up in Iran in 2004
CO2 + 3 H2 → CH3OH + H2O (-ΔH298K, 50Bar = 40.9 kJ/mol)
.
 Two-step reforming: is the
process of a combination of fired
tubular reforming (primary
reforming) followed by oxygen-
fired adiabatic reforming
(secondary reforming). The
primary reforming produces
excess H2 while secondary
reforming has can use the excess
hydrogen during combustion
during its reforming.
Figure 1: Methanol production by two-step reforming.

 The combination of the two types of reforming create a energy efficient creation of
synthesis gas.

 CO2 + H2 → CO + H2O

 CO + 2 H2 → CH3OH (-ΔH298K, 50Bar = 90.7 kJ/mol)

 Autothermal reforming
(ATR): ATR is a stand-
alone, oxygen-fired
reformer. The
autothermal reformer
design includes a
burner, a combustion
zone, and a catalyst
bed in a refractory
lined pressure vessel.

Figure 2: Methanol production by ATR. (Aasberg-Petersen)

The burner mixes the feed and the oxidant. In the combustion zone, the feed and
oxygen combust. The catalyst bed brings the steam reforming and shift
conversion reactions to equilibrium in the synthesis gas. By adjusting low steam
to carbon ratios, ATR plants can run similar to a two-step reforming plant but with
a single incoming stream
 Primarily used as feedstock for:
o Formaldeyde
o MTBE metyl tert-butyl ether
o Acetic Acid
o DME dimethyl ether
o Olefins

 Very “green” and inexpensive energy source

 Octane Rating of 108.7 (Eyidogan, 2010)

 Water Denitrification

 Transesterification process in making biodiesel fuel

Demand=55.4 million Demand=92.3
metric tons million metric tons
 Aasberg-Petersen, K. (n.d.). Large scale methanol production from natural gas.
Retrieved from
http://www.topsoe.com/business_areas/methanol/~/media/PDFfiles/Methanol
/Topsoe_large_scale_methanol_prod_paper.ashx
 The Chemical Company. (2013). Methanol overview. Retrieved from
http://www.thechemco.com/chemical/methanol/
 Johnson, D. (2012). Global methanol market review. Unpublished manuscript,
Retrieved from
http://www.ptq.pemex.com/productosyservicios/eventosdescargas/Document
s/Foro PEMEX Petroquímica/2012/PEMEX_DJohnson.pdf
THANK YOU!