Acetex (cyprus) Limited

Acetex Limited

Kenneth Ebenes Vidalin

Daniel Marcel Thiebaut

The retrofitting of an existing methanol or methanol/ammonia plant to make acetic acid is disclosed. The existing plant has a reformer ( ) to which natural gas or another hydrocarbon and steam (water) are fed. Syngas is formed in the reformer ( ). All or part of the syngas is process to separate out carbon dioxide ( ), carbon monoxide ( ) and hydrogen ( ), and the separated carbon dioxide ( ) is the existing to the existing methanol synthesis loop ( ) for methanol synthesis, or back into the feed to the reformer ( ) to enhance carbon monoxide formation in the syngas ( ). Any remaining syngas ( ) not fed to the carbon dioxide separator ( ) can be converted to methanol in the existing methanol synthesis loop ( ) along with carbon dioxide ( ) from the separator ( ) and/or imported carbon dioxide ( ), and hydrogen ( ) from the separator ( ). The separated carbon monoxide ( ) is then reacted with the methanol ( ) to produce acetic acid ( ) or an acetic acid precursor by a conventional process. Also disclosed is the reaction of separated hydrogen ( ) with nitrogen ( ), in a conventional manner, to produce ammonia. Also disclosed is the reaction of a portion of the acetic acid ( ) in a conventional manner with oxygen ( ) and ethylene ( ) to form vinyl acetate monomer ( ). The nitrogen for the added ammonia capacity in a retrofit of an original methanol plant comprising an ammonia synthesis loop ( ), and the oxygen ( ) for the vinyl acetate monomer process ( ), are obtained from a mew air separation unit ( ).

Methanol plant retrofit for manufacture of acetic acid

The retrofitting of an existing methanol or methanol/ammonia plant to make acetic acid is disclosed. The plant is retrofitted to feed carbon dioxide into a reformer to which natural gas and steam (water) are fed. Syngas is formed in the reformer wherein both the natural gas and the carbon dioxide are reformed to produce syngas with a large proportion of carbon monoxide relative to reforming without added carbon dioxide. The syngas is split into a first part and a second part. The first syngas part is converted to methanol in a conventional methanol synthesis loop that is operated at about half of the design capacity of the original plant. The second syngas part is processed to separate out carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, and the separated carbon dioxide is fed back into the feed to the reformer to enhance carbon monoxide formation. The separated carbon monoxide is then reacted with the methanol to produce acetic acid or an acetic acid precursor by a conventional process. Also disclosed is the separation of hydrogen which is reacted with nitrogen, in a conventional manner, to produce ammonia. Also disclosed is the reaction of a portion of the acetic acid in a conventional manner with oxygen and ethylene to form vinyl acetate monomer. The nitrogen for the added ammonia capacity in a retrofit of an original methanol plant comprising an ammonia synthesis loop, and the oxygen for the vinyl acetate monomer process, are obtained from a new air separation unit.

Methanol plant retrofit

The retrofitting of an existing methanol or methanol/ammonia plant to make acetic acid is disclosed. The existing plant has a reformer to which natural gas or another hydrocarbon and steam (water) are fed. Syngas is formed in the reformer. All or part of the syngas is processed to separate out carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and the separated carbon dioxide is fed either to the existing methanol synthesis loop for methanol synthesis, or back into the feed to the reformer to enhance carbon monoxide formation in the syngas. Any remaining syngas not fed to the carbon dioxide separator can be converted to methanol in the existing methanol synthesis loop along with carbon dioxide from the separator and/or imported carbon dioxide, and hydrogen from the separator. The separated carbon monoxide is then reacted with the methanol to produce acetic acid or an acetic acid precursor by a conventional process. Also disclosed is the reaction of separated hydrogen with nitrogen, in a conventional manner, to produce ammonia. Also disclosed is the reaction of a portion of the acetic acid in a conventional manner with oxygen and ethylene to form vinyl acetate monomer. The nitrogen for the added ammonia capacity in a retrofit of an original methanol plant comprising an ammonia synthesis loop, and the oxygen for the vinyl acetate monomer process, are obtained from a new air separation unit.

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Vancouver, Canada

Kenneth Ebenes Vidalin