Abstract: The present invention proposes a process for producing synthesis gas, in particular synthesis gas for methanol synthesis. The process includes the steps of providing a sulfur-containing hydrocarbon stream; providing an electrolytically produced hydrogen stream; supplying a portion of the electrolytically produced hydrogen stream to at least a portion of the sulfur-containing hydrocarbon stream to obtain a hydrogen-enriched sulfur-containing hydrocarbon stream; desulfurizing the stream obtained according to step (c) in a hydrodesulfurization unit (HDS unit) to obtain a sulfur-free hydrocarbon stream; supplying a portion of the electrolytically produced hydrogen stream to at least a portion of the stream obtained according to step (d) to obtain a hydrogen-enriched sulfur-free hydrocarbon stream and converting at least a portion of the stream obtained according to step (e) into a synthesis gas stream in the presence of oxygen as oxidant in a reforming step.

Abstract: A reactor for the catalytic production of methanol having two or more reaction zones arranged and surrounded by a heat exchange fluid. The reaction zones are preferably reaction tubes, and each reaction zone has at least one cleaning layer and at least one catalyst layer, where the cleaning layer is arranged upstream, and the catalyst layer is arranged downstream. A method for the catalytic production of methanol from synthesis gas using the reactor is also described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to a plant for producing methanol from a synthesis gas having a hydrogen deficit. A fresh gas stream from a reformer unit which includes hydrogen and carbon oxides is combined with a hydrogen-containing stream from a hydrogen recovery stage. This affords a synthesis gas stream having a stoichiometry number SN, defined as SN=[n(H2)?n(CO2)]/[n(CO)+n(CO2)], of less than 2.0. The synthesis gas stream is combined with a residual gas stream and the synthesis gas stream and the residual gas stream are passed through a bed of a methanol synthesis catalyst at elevated pressure and elevated temperature to obtain a product stream having methanol and the residual gas stream, and the product stream is cooled to separate methanol from the residual gas stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing methanol in which a compressed make-up gas stream which contains at least one carbon oxide and hydrogen is combined with a residual gas to afford a synthesis gas stream and reacted to afford methanol. According to the invention the residual gas stream and the make-up gas stream are combined using a jet pump, wherein the compressed make-up gas stream is supplied to the jet pump as motive medium via its motive media connection at a pressure p1 and the residual gas stream is supplied to the jet pump as suction medium via its suction port at a pressure p3 and wherein the synthesis gas stream is discharged from the jet pump via its pressure port at a pressure p2 and subsequently supplied to the synthesis stage and wherein p1>p2>p3.

Abstract: A reactor including a reactor vessel and, inside the reactor vessel there is a plate assembly which is mounted in suspended form. There is also a distributor which is attached to the plate assembly, and at least one supply line, via which the distributor is connected to a respective cooling fluid inlet of the reactor vessel. There is also a collector which is attached to the plate assembly, and at least one discharge line, via which the collector is connected to a respective cooling fluid outlet of the reactor vessel. Wherein flow paths for the cooling fluid are formed, and wherein the at least one supply line is curved.

Abstract: A reactor having a reactor vessel and, inside the reactor vessel there is a plate assembly which is mounted upright, a distributor which is attached to the plate assembly, at least one supply line, via which the distributor is connected to a respective cooling fluid inlet of the reactor vessel, and a collector which is attached to the plate assembly, at least one discharge line, via which the collector is connected to a respective cooling fluid outlet of the reactor vessel. Wherein flow paths for the cooling fluid are formed, and wherein the at least one discharge line is curved in such a way that the discharge line runs around an axis of the reactor vessel by at least 180°.

Abstract: The invention relates to a methanol synthesis reactor for producing methanol from a synthesis gas mixture. The reactor according to the invention includes a pressure jacket having an interior in which a first and a second process unit are arranged one atop the other. Both process units are fluidically interconnected at least in respect of the process gases and configured as plate heat exchangers, preferably pillow plate heat exchangers. The plate interiors are traversable from bottom to top by cooling media while the plate interspaces are traversable from top to bottom by process gases, in particular synthesis gas and methanol-containing product streams. At least the first of the two process units has a methanol synthesis catalyst on the plate interspace side. The second process unit is used for cooling or further conversion of the product stream obtainable in the first process unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for separating a condensable reaction product from a process gas mixture. The apparatus includes a pressure jacket having an interior, wherein two process units are arranged one atop the other in the pressure jacket. The upper first process unit is configured for condensing the liquid reaction product from the process gas mixture and is thus in the form of a plate heat exchanger. The plate heat exchanger includes vertically arranged plates traversable by a cooling medium. The plates have plate interiors which are traversable by the cooling medium. Adjacent plates spaced apart from one another define plate interspaces which are traversable by the process gas mixture. The lower second process unit is configured for separating the reaction product condensed in the first process unit and is thus in the form of a gas-liquid separator.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reactor for performing exothermic equilibrium reactions, especially for producing methanol from synthesis gas in a multistage synthesis with intermediate condensation of the reaction product. The reactor according to the invention has a reactor shell and a multitude of series-connected and mutually fluid-connected reactor cells disposed within the reactor shell, where each of the reactor cells includes a reaction apparatus, a cooling-down apparatus and a phase separation apparatus as reactor cell elements. The reactor has a multitude of reactor planes disposed in a mutually parallel arrangement within the reactor shell, where reactor cell elements of the same kind are disposed in the same reactor plane. The inventive arrangement of the reactor cell elements enables the building of a compact reactor and reduces material stresses within the reactor by the avoidance of large temperature differences within the reactor shell.

Abstract: Proposed according to the invention are a process and a plant for producing carbon dioxide-based methanol and synthesis gas, wherein the produced synthesis gas may be utilized process-internally for methanol synthesis. Hydrocarbons which are present in a carbon dioxide input gas stream as an impurity and are inert under the conditions of the methanol synthesis are chemically utilized through integration of a reforming unit, in particular a POX unit. This is done by supplying a purge gas stream diverted from the methanol synthesis loop to said reforming unit in which the hydrocarbons are converted into synthesis gas. In a preferred embodiment the purge gas stream is supplied to a hydrogen recovery unit, in particular a membrane unit. The hydrocarbons-enriched purge gas stream produced on the retentate side is subsequently supplied to the reforming unit.

Abstract: The present invention specifies a process and a plant for production of a synthesis gas stream which makes it possible to produce the synthesis gas stream with a stoichiometry number suitable for the methanol synthesis or other syntheses. To this end an electrolytically produced hydrogen stream is admixed with a hydrocarbon-containing input gas stream and the resulting hydrogen-containing and hydrocarbon-containing input gas stream is reacted in the presence of oxygen to afford synthesis gas in a reforming step. The process mode according to the invention has the advantage that the electrolytically produced hydrogen stream need not be treated, in particular no oxygen need be removed from the electrolytically produced hydrogen stream. The invention further includes a process and a plant for production of methanol including the process according to the invention and the plant according to the invention for production of the synthesis gas stream.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing pure methanol from carbon dioxide-rich synthesis gas, the process including the following steps: at least partially reacting the carbon dioxide rich synthesis gas in a methanol synthesis unit, discharging a liquid crude methanol stream from the methanol synthesis unit, introducing the liquid crude methanol stream into a flash tank, discharging from the flash tank a liquid depressurized crude methanol stream as a bottoms product and a gaseous overhead product stream having synthesis gas components, introducing the liquid depressurized crude methanol stream into a distillation apparatus having of a single distillation column, separating the crude methanol stream in the distillation column, discharging an overhead product stream via an overhead product outlet, discharging a bottoms product stream via the bottoms product outlet, and discharging a pure methanol product stream via a first side draw.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing methanol, in which a synthesis gas comprising carbon oxides and hydrogen is provided, which is passed at elevated pressure and elevated temperature through a catalyst bed of a methanol synthesis catalyst for conversion of the synthesis gas to methanol to obtain a product stream comprising crude methanol and unreacted synthesis gas. Unreacted synthesis gas is recycled to the catalyst bed inlet and combined with the synthesis gas, resulting in a mixed synthesis gas. The mixed synthesis gas at the catalyst bed inlet has a stoichiometry number SN of ?0.80, the catalyst bed in the conversion of the mixed synthesis gas to methanol has a maximum catalyst bed temperature of ?280° C., and the mixed synthesis gas at the catalyst bed inlet has a carbon monoxide concentration of ?20% by volume.

Abstract: Provided is a method for cooling a methanol r synthesis reactor effluent vapor stream in a methanol production plant, wherein the method comprises the steps of: receiving, using an inlet of a cooler, the methanol synthesis reactor effluent vapor stream from an interchanger or a methanol synthesis reactor of the methanol production plant; and spraying, using a recirculation pump connected to a spraying device, a liquid condensate received from a methanol synthesis loop onto a tube sheet of the cooler which enables direct contact of the liquid condensate with the methanol synthesis reactor effluent vapor stream and cools the methanol synthesis reactor effluent vapor stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and a plant for producing methanol in which a compressed make-up gas stream which contains at least one carbon oxide and hydrogen is combined with a residual gas to afford a synthesis gas stream and reacted to afford methanol. According to the invention the residual gas stream and the make-up gas stream are combined using a jet pump, wherein the compressed make-up gas stream is supplied to the jet pump as motive medium via its motive media connection at a pressure p1 and the residual gas stream is supplied to the jet pump as suction medium via its suction port at a pressure p3 and wherein the synthesis gas stream is discharged from the jet pump via its pressure port at a pressure p2 and subsequently supplied to the synthesis stage and wherein p1>p2>p3.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, nitrogen gas of an air separation unit is used to cool the gas formed in a reservoir of liquid from an MEOH unit that is supplied with oxygen by said air separation unit.

Abstract: Proposed is a process for producing methanol from synthesis gas by means of multi-stage, for example 2-stage, heterogeneously catalyzed methanol synthesis, wherein the product stream of a synthesis stage is applied to the downstream synthesis stage as a feed stream or after removal of a purge stream recycled to the first synthesis stage as a recycle stream. According to the invention a substream is removed from the synthesis gas fresh gas and introduced into the second methanol synthesis reactor as a bypass stream.

Abstract: Proposed is a process for producing methanol from synthesis gas by means of multi-stage, for example 2-stage, heterogeneously catalyzed methanol synthesis, wherein the product stream of a synthesis stage is applied to the downstream synthesis stage as a feed stream or after removal of a purge stream recycled to the first synthesis stage as a recycle stream. According to the invention a substream is removed from the synthesis gas fresh gas and introduced into the second methanol synthesis reactor as a bypass stream.

Abstract: There is proposed an efficient recovery of methanol from waste gases loaded with methanol in an integrated flow chart for the production and processing of methanol. The methanol fractions separated from the waste gases are recovered within the already existing, distillative processing of the crude methanol to pure methanol, so that no separate apparatuses are required for the recovery of the methanol from the loaded scrubber waste waters. The valuable substance methanol is recovered and the impact on the environment is reduced. By means of particular aspects of the invention the need for water as washing agent can be reduced further.

Abstract: With the invention a washing apparatus and a process for the efficient separation and recovery of methanol from waste gases loaded with methanol is proposed, wherein the invention also can be used in an integrated flow chart for the production and processing of methanol. The methanol fractions separated from the waste gases are recovered within the already existing, distillative processing of the crude methanol to pure methanol, so that no separate apparatuses are required for the recovery of the methanol from the loaded scrubber waste waters. The valuable substance methanol is recovered and the impact on the environment is reduced. By particular aspects of the invention the total degree of methanol separation can be adapted according to the locally applicable emission limit values.