Liquid phase methanol (LPMEOH~(TM)) process development

摘要

The Liquid Phase Methanol (LPMEOH~(TM)) process uses a slurry bubble column reactor to convert coal-derived synthesis (syngas) gas to methanol. Because of its superior heat management, the process can directly utilize the carbon monoxide (CO)-rich syngas characteristic of the gasification of coal, petroleum coke, residual oil, wastes, or other hydrocarbon feedstocks. When added to a high-efficiency integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant, the LPMEOH~(TM) process converts a portion of the CO-rich syngas produced by the gasifier to methanol, and the unconverted gas is used to fuel the gas turbine combined-cycle power plant. A 260-tons per day (TPD) LPMEOH~(TM) Process Demonstration Plant has been in operation at Eastman Chemical Company's chemicals-from-coal complex in Kingsport, Tennessee since April of 1997 under the U. S. Department of Energy's Clean Coal Technology Program. Production rates of over 300 TPD of methanol were achieved shortly after the start-up and the plant availability for both 1998 and 1999 has exceeded 99%. This paper provides a description of the LPMEOH~(TM) process, the application of the technology to IGCC power plants, and a review of the process demonstration issues and results.