Monsanto Company

K Keith Okamoto

Earle C Makin

An improved methanol synthesis process is provided wherein synthesis gas containing hydrogen and carbon dioxide is passed over a methanol synthesis catalyst, cooled to condense methanol and water in the reacted gas, the liquids separated, a purge gas stream removed while the remaining reacted gas is recycled to the synthesis catalyst, the purge gas separated by contacting the outer surfaces of a plurality of hollow fiber membranes selectively permeable to hydrogen and carbon dioxide to form a permeant gas depleted in hydrogen and carbon dioxide and a permeate gas enriched in said gases and the enriched permeate gas is combined with the synthesis gas. In an optional embodiment, methanol vapor is first recovered from the purge gas prior to contacting the selectively permeable membranes, preferably by a water scrub.

Growing community of inventors

Dickinson, TX, United States of America

K Keith Okamoto