Assessment of the liquid phase methanol synthesis process: CO-rich vs. H{sub 2}-rich syngas

A mechanically agitated slurry reactor system was designed, built and operated to investigate the liquid phase methanol (LPMeOH{trademark}) synthesis process. In this reactor system, syngas reacts in the presence of the methanol synthesis catalyst (Cu/ZnO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}), which is slurried in the oil phase, and is thoroughly agitated by a mechanically driven impeller. Synthesis gas consisting of H{sub 2}, CO, CO{sub 2} and CH{sub 4} is mainly used as a feedstock in the synthesis of methanol. The sources of syngas for methanol synthesis have become very diverse, ranging from syngas obtained from Lurgi gasifiers (H{sub 2}-rich syngas), to syngas obtained from industrial gasifiers like Texaco and Koppers Totzek (CO-rich syngas). The effect of syngas composition, ranging from CO-rich to H{sub 2}-rich syngas, on the productivity of methanol was investigated. The development of a kinetic rate expression and the effect on equilibrium conversion, using H{sub 2}-rich syngas and CO-rich syngas, will be compared. These results will be of immense help in the modeling of the reactor system, and assist in the design, development, and scale-up of the LPMeOH process.