Operation and testing of a novel catalytic reactor configuration for the conversion of methanol to hydrocarbons

Abstract

The experimental testing of a novel pseudoadiabatic reactor for the conversion of methanol to gasoline is described. This reactor concept provides an always increasing temperature profile along the longitudinal axis in a cocurrently cooled packed-bed catalytic heat exchanger/reactor. A mini pilot-plant-scale unit reactor, 2 m long and 2 cm in diameter, was built according to this concept and successfully tested. It was shown that the pseudoadiabatic operation is feasible and compatible with very high methanol conversion. The quality of the hydrocarbon products obtained was satisfactory, the liquid fraction having a research method octane number of 95-97.

HZSM-5 Zeolites with Different SiO2/Al2O3Ratios. Characterization and NH3Desorption Kinetics

“…The present research is also a valuable complement to several studies initiated in 1987 and continued in recent years at the CREC Laboratories, The University of Western Ontario, by Hugo de Lasa’s research group. Examples of these successful studies include methanol conversion to gasoline, − syngas conversion to liquid hydrocarbons, − and desulfurization of gasoline. ,− …”

Cooling exothermic catalytic fixed bed reactors: Co‐current versus countercurrent operation in a methanol conversion reactor

“…Following these first contributions, where the PO was identified and the design concept was formulated (de Lasa, 1987), the following aspects were investigated: -the "a priori" equations to predict the PO limiting operating conditions Ravella and de Lasa, 1986), the influence of the models selected (de Lasa et al, 1985;Ravella et al, 1986a), the design and development of a pilot plant to measure the PO thermal profiles and to confirm the usefulness of the concept for the reaction of conversion of methanol into gasoline (Ravella, 1985, Ravella et al, 1986b.…”

Synthesis gas conversion into hydrocarbons (gasoline range) over bifunctional zeolite-containing catalyst: experimental study and mathematical modelling

“…The processes of hydrocarbon production from methanol (MTG) and directly from synthesis gas (TIGAS) have been experimentally examined for various types of reactors including fluidised bed reactor [14], pseudoadiabatic fixed-bed reactor [2,9], monolithic reactor with parallel tubes with catalytic material deposited in the walls [15]. One of the main advantages of catalytic monolithic reactors is a very low pressure drop.…”

“…Many investigations are focused on studying the kinetic regularities of methanol conversion into hydrocarbons [6][7][8][9][10]. One of the first models has been proposed by Chang [5].…”

“…However, the great number of kinetic constants makes it difficult to use the kinetic model in practical mathematical modelling. In further studies [9] another technique was used for modelling hydrocarbon synthesis from synthesis gas over bifunctional catalysts. Only the following overall reaction of CO conversion to hydrocarbons was taken into account:…”