Title:
PREPARING METHANOL AND AMMONIA
Document Type and Number:
Japanese Patent JPS5571622
Kind Code:
A
Abstract:
A process for producing methanol and ammonia by generating nitrogen-containing synthesis gas, reacting the carbon oxides and hydrogen incompletely to methanol and passing the unreacted gasto ammonia synthesis, is characterised by carrying out the methanol synthesis in a first, steam- free, stage and in a second stage in the presence of sufficient steam to convert to carbon dioxide substantially all the carbon monoxide not converted to methanol. Methanol can be taken from the synthesis stage as part of the product or can be recycled to that stage, thus limiting its methanol output.In a preferred example synthesis gas is generated by primary steam reforming (12) and air secondary reforming (20) of a hydrocarbon feedstock, dehumidified (30), compressed (32) and reacted over catalyst (44) to produce methanol. The gas is separated at (54) into liquid methanol and unreacted gas, which is humidified at (62) and reacted over a second methanol synthesis catalyst (68). The gas from this catalyst is cooled to condense aqueous methanol, washed (76) with cold water to remove residual methanol and passed to CO2-removal (80), methanation (86) and ammonial synthesis in reactors (114) and (118). Condensate from the second methanol synthesis stage is in part recycled via humidifier (62), in part sent to distillative purification along with the product of the first methanol synthesis stage (44).
Inventors:
AAUIN PINTO
Application Number:
JP14533879A
Publication Date:
May 29, 1980
Filing Date:
November 09, 1979
Export Citation:
Assignee:
ICI LTD
International Classes:
C07C29/15; B01J23/00; C01C1/04; C07C27/00; C07C29/151; C07C31/04; C07C67/00; (IPC1-7): B01J23/72; C01C1/02; C07C29/15; C07C31/04