Metallgesellschaft Aktiengesellschaft

Hermann Gohna

Peter Konig

A reactor comprises at least one burner, to which hydrocar-bonaceous gas and gas rich in 0.sub.2 are supplied. The hydrocar-bonaceous gas is supplied to the burner through a transfer line at temperatures of 100 to 1300.degree. C. and a pressure in the range from 10 to 70 bar. Adjacent the orifice end of the transfer line, which is connected with the burner, there is provided a screen-like perforated wall through which the hy-drocarbonaceous gas can flow. This wall ensures a uniform gas flow in the burner, and at the same time it prevents solid matter from a certain size onwards from penetrating into the sensitive portion of the burner and settling there.

Reactor for the autothermal conversion of hydrocarbons

Methanol is catalytically produced from a synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon oxides on copper-containing catalysts at pressures in the range from 20 to 120 bar and temperatures in the range from 130.degree. to 350.degree. C. The synthesis gas is first of all passed through a first synthesis reactor, in which the catalyst is provided in tubes surrounded by water as a coolant which is boiling at an elevated pressure. From the first reactor a first mixture containing gases and methanol vapor is withdrawn and passed through a second synthesis reactor. In the second reactor the catalyst is cooled with synthesis gas.

Process of producing methanol

From a synthesis gas which contains hydrogen and carbon oxides, methanol is produced on copper-containing catalysts under pressures in the range from 20 to 20 bars and at temperatures in the range from 200 to 350.degree. C. The synthesis gas is passed through a first synthesis reactor, which consists of a shaft reactor and contains a fixed bed of a copper-containing catalyst. The reaction in the shaft reactor is carried out adiabatically and without a recycling of synthesis gas. Together with recycle gas, the gas mixture which has not been reacted in the first synthesis reactor is passed through a second synthesis reactor, which contains a copper-containing catalyst, which is disposed in tubes and is indirectly cooled through boiling water. 10 to 30% of the carbon oxides of the synthesis gas are reacted in the shaft reactor to form methanol.

Growing community of inventors

Bad Soden, Germany

Hermann Gohna