Syngas manufacturing

FEEDSTOCK SYNGAS MANUFACTURE PROCESS HYDROGEN CARBON OXIDES RATIO... 

Rostrup-Nielsen J, Christiansen LJ. Concepts in syngas manufacture. London Imperial College Press 2011. (Catalytic science series - volume 10.)... 

Syngas manufactured from various feedstocks is processed into ammonia (for fertilizer production) and methanol. In both cases, gasification-based applications amount to about 10% of global production. Other ehemi-cal applieations inelude the produetion of pure hydrogen or carbon monoxide, for example, acetie acid manufacture... 

For most of the chemical products given in Table 1, the synthesis takes place at elevated pressures from typically 20 bar and above. Most syngas plants operate at 20-40 bar, although the thermodynamics shows that higher conversions can be obtained at lower pressures. However, the cost associated with larger equipment and syngas compression renders often syngas manufacture at low pressures prohibitive for these applications. 

Starting from natural gas, a thermal efficiency of 60% for a stand-alone plant can be achieved by using Shell technology for both syngas manufacture and middle distillates synthesis. 

The production of syngas before middle distillate synthesis proper is an important process step, not only from a technical point of view but also from an economic standpoint some two thirds of the process capital cost (if natural gas is the feedstock) relates to syngas manufacturing units. 

The largest of the pilot plants comprised of fully integrated units, including syngas manufacturing and featuring multitubular reactors with a capacity of 2 and 35 bbl/day respectively. 

It has been noted that, of the total process capital cost, more than 50% is required for syngas manufacture, indicating that improvements in this field are just as important as those in the synthesis proper. 

Next to petrochemicals, synthesis gas is being produced in reflneries as a first step to produce fuels in a refinery. A special case here is the Fischer Tropsch (FT) process that converts synthesis gas to clean diesel. The syngas manufacture in a FT plant is responsible for up to 60% of the capital investment. The syngas... 

Better cataljrtic materials More advanced catalysts may play an important role to achieve syngas manufacture at lower costs. An increase of heat transfer capability and an increase in activity while maintaining acceptable pressure drop are key elements (56,57). 

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