Process of producing methanol

US5631302A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Metallgesellschaft AG · DE

Inventors

• Peter Konig · Budapest, HU
• Hermann Gohna · Bad Soden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 8, 1995
• Grant date: May 20, 1997
• Expiry date: May 8, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/52
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

From a synthesis gas which contains hydrogen and carbon oxides, methanol is produced on copper-containing catalysts under pressures in the range from 20 to 20 bars and at temperatures in the range from 200 to 350.degree. C. The synthesis gas is passed through a first synthesis reactor, which consists of a shaft reactor and contains a fixed bed of a copper-containing catalyst. The reaction in the shaft reactor is carried out adiabatically and without a recycling of synthesis gas. Together with recycle gas, the gas mixture which has not been reacted in the first synthesis reactor is passed through a second synthesis reactor, which contains a copper-containing catalyst, which is disposed in tubes and is indirectly cooled through boiling water. 10 to 30% of the carbon oxides of the synthesis gas are reacted in the shaft reactor to form methanol.