Electrolytic Hydrogen Admixture for Methanol Synthesis Gas Stoichiometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial processes for producing methanol from synthesis gas often result in substoichiometric gas compositions, leading to hydrogen deficits and increased byproduct formation, requiring additional hydrogen supplementation and oxygen removal to achieve optimal methanol yields.
Innovation Solution
The process involves supplying electrolytically produced hydrogen directly to the hydrocarbon-containing input stream before the reforming step, allowing for the production of synthesis gas with a stoichiometry number of 1.9 or more without the need for oxygen removal, using the electrolytically produced hydrogen as a reactant in a reforming step with substoichiometric oxygen, thereby producing synthesis gas suitable for immediate methanol synthesis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If electrolytically produced hydrogen is supplied to the hydrocarbon-containing input stream before reforming, then the synthesis gas achieves suitable stoichiometry for methanol synthesis, but the electrolytically produced hydrogen contains oxygen that would normally require removal
Solution Approach 1:
The oxygen present in the electrolytically produced hydrogen stream, which would normally be a harmful impurity requiring removal, is converted into a beneficial component by supplying it together with the hydrogen stream to the reforming reaction. The oxygen serves as an additional oxidant for the partial oxidation and steam reforming of hydrocarbons, contributing to synthesis gas production without requiring separate oxygen removal steps.
2Manufacturing precision
If additional hydrogen is supplied to substoichiometric synthesis gas to increase stoichiometry number, then methanol synthesis becomes viable, but the process complexity and cost increase due to hydrogen supplementation and oxygen removal requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the hydrogen supplementation step with the oxygen removal step by combining both streams into a single reforming reaction. Instead of separately purifying hydrogen and then mixing it with synthesis gas, the electrolytically produced hydrogen (containing oxygen) is directly combined with the hydrocarbon-containing input stream and fed to the reforming reactor, where both hydrogen and oxygen participate in the reforming reactions.
3Productivity
If substoichiometric synthesis gas is used for methanol synthesis, then the process is simpler, but hydrogen deficit occurs leading to increased byproduct formation and reduced methanol yield
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the composition parameters of the input stream to the reforming reactor by incorporating electrolytically produced hydrogen containing oxygen. This parameter change ensures that the resulting synthesis gas has a stoichiometry number of 1.9 or more, providing the appropriate hydrogen to carbon oxide ratio for efficient methanol synthesis while minimizing byproduct formation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach eliminates the need for oxygen removal from electrolytically produced hydrogen, reduces the complexity and cost of hydrogen supplementation, and directly provides synthesis gas with a suitable stoichiometry for methanol synthesis, enhancing methanol yield and reducing byproduct formation.
Implementation Method 1
providing an electrolytically produced hydrogen stream
Implementation Method 2
reacting the hydrogen-containing input gas stream in the presence of oxygen as oxidant in a reforming step
Implementation Method 3
steam reforming of the partially oxidized hydrocarbon-containing input stream over a fixed bed of steam reforming catalyst
Implementation Method 4
occur simultaneously over a solid methanol synthesis catalyst
Implementation Method 5
two equilibrium reactions (1) and (2) occur simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
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.