Methanol synthesis in a trickle‐bed reactor

Abstract

Abstract A novel approach to methanol production from coal‐derived synthesis gas is cocurrent gas and mineral oil feed flowing over a packed bed of catalyst in the trickle flow regime. Production rates of 0.7 to 2 kg/h · kg cat were obtained for a H 2 /(CO + CO 2 ) ratio of 1 and at space velocities of 2,000 to 25,000 L/h · kg cat. Slurry reactor and bubble column productivities were substantially less for H 2 /(CO + CO 2 ) ratios of 0.55 to 2.3 at similar conditions as the trickle‐bed reactor. Reaction temperature was 250°C in three types of reactors but 240°C in gas‐liquid phase Berty reactor; the pressure in the slurry and bubble column reactors was 52‐70 atm and in Berty Reactor 77.5‐100 atm, whereas 70 atm pressure was used in the trickle bed. Differences in production rates and conversions can be explained by the extent of backmixing in trickle‐bed and slurry reactors operating at the same conditions.