LOW-TONNAGE METHANOL PRODUCTION PLANT IN FIELD CONDITIONS

The concept of a low-tonnage methanol production plant in field production conditions is presented. The developed small-sized transportable installation ensures safety, reliability and maintainability in operation with a base capacity of 5,000 t of raw methanol per year. The technological process consists of two main stages: first, synthesis gas is obtained by partial oxidation of the prepared natural gas with air, and then synthesis gas is fed into a multi-reactor cascade of the methanol synthesis complex. The main apparatus of the installation is a domestic three-component (natural gas – air – chemically treated water) synthesis gas generator (SGG), which includes: mixing head, ignition device, combustion chamber, water injection unit, evaporation chamber. The technological complex of synthesis gas with SGG binding is described, the dimensions, parameters and performance of SGG are indicated, data from numerical modeling of partial oxidation of natural gas to obtain nitrogen-ballasted synthesis gas for the synthesis of methanol are presented. A simplified technological complex for the synthesis of methanol has been developed, which includes a direct-flow multi-reactor cascade with the release of raw methanol after each reactor, and numerical modeling of the cascade of synthesis of raw methanol has been carried out. As a result of the research, the degrees of conversion of carbon oxides into methanol were determined, which made it possible to assess the need for application of a three-reactor cascade with a degree of conversion up to 60 % and with a specific capacity of about 800–900 kg/h of raw methanol per 1000 nm3/h of natural gas. Experimental laboratory data are presented, which coincide with the calculations of the material balances of the installation devices.