Gasification process combined with steam methane reforming to produce syngas suitable for methanol production

摘要

Improved method for the prodn of methanol, comprises (a) partially oxidising a gaseous feedstock contg substantial amts of methane in a gasifier to produce a hot gasifier synthesis gas stream contg hydrogen and carbon monoxide; (b) passing the synthesis gas stream through a steam reforming catalytic reactor in direct heat exchange with reactants consisting of a methane-contg gas and steam undergoing an endothermic catalytic steam reforming reaction in the reactor, to produce a reformer synthesis gas stream, and in which the hot synthesis gas stream becomes cooled and exits the reactor as a cooled gasifier synthesis gas stream; and (c) combining the cooled synthesis gas stream with a portion of the reformer synthesis gas stream to form a stoichiometric ratioed synthesis gas stream, which is fed to a methanol synthesis unit to produce methanol, and in which the stoichiometric ratioed synthesis gas requires little or no external compression to reach the optimal specifications necessary to produce methanol.