The methanol synthesis section

Topsoe's solutions for methanol production are based on several different reforming technologies, which can be combined with different methanol synthesis configurations and with different distillation layouts.

In the methanol synthesis section the synthesis gas is converted to raw methanol containing small amounts of water and by-products.

Application

Topsoe’s methanol technology offers an optimum combination of process steps, achieving attractive operation costs and competitive installation costs.

Normally the boiling water reactor (BWR) is used due to its efficiency and ease of temperature control, but adiabatic reactors in series or combinations of BWR and adiabatic reactors may also be considered – especially for large capacities.

As a revamp option to the conventional quench converters, Topsoe launched the Collect-Mix-Distribute (CMD) concept, which ensures cross-mixing of the gas from the upper bed thorough mixing with the quench gas and even distribution of the mixed gas to the next bed, thereby using the catalyst more efficiently.

Topsoe's methanol synthesis catalyst

Topsoe’s methanol synthesis catalyst, MK-121, is developed to match the requirements of methanol producers today, in an increasingly competitive market place:

• superior activity, selectivity and operational flexibility at the entire range of synthesis gas compositions
• very high conversion efficiency throughout the catalyst’s lifetime
• prolonged service time due to the high stability of the catalyst

Coal-based production

Although natural gas is still the predominant raw material, synthesis gas generated by coal gasification is becoming more widely used as a feedstock for methanol. Topsoe has developed and put into commercial operation a methanol synthesis loop specifically designed for coal-based production.