Overview
● Introduction to LPMeOH● Process● LPMeOH Features● Performance● Commercial Applications● Environment and Economic
Analysis● Conclusion and
Recommendations
Slurry Bubble Column Reactor installation
Image adapted from Kirkland et al.
Introduction● LPMEOH technology was first developed in the 1980’s in LaPorte
Texas
● The DOE wanted to develop a more economic and efficient way to convert coal-derived synthesis gas into methanol
● Over 7,400 hours of test operation in a DOE-owned 10 tons-per-day Process Development Unit
● Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, Tennessee was the first commercial-scale plant for LPMEOH technology
Introduction● Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and Eastman Chemical Company
partnered to form Air Products Liquid Phase Conversion Company, L.P.
● Together and with the DOE they participated in the Clean Coal Technology Program demonstration of LPMEOH technology.
● Purpose was to demonstrate the scale-up and operability of the LPMEOH process with different coal-based syngas feed compositions
Image adapted from Heydorn et al.
Process● Old system
o Catalyst pelletso Gas phase
● LPMEOHo Powder catalyst
slurried in an inert mineral oil
● High heat removal● Higher Syngas
conversion
LPMEOH Features
● Water gas shift reactor needed to adjust stoichiometry of feedstockso 16% CO concentration
● Cannot endure sharp transient operations
● Produce crude methanolo 4%-20% water by weight
● Interrupted operation
● Syngas with large amounts of carbon oxides can be directly processedo Over 50% CO
concentration● Can handle sudden changes
and idling ● Produce high quality methanol
o 1% water by weight● Remove and add catalyst
slurry
Conventional Methanol Production LPMEOH
Performance
● Produce 260 short tons/day or 80,000 gallons/day during the within 4 days
o Exceed 115% within 6 days
● Catalyst deactivation rate
o Campaign 1 - 0.4% per day
o Campaign 2 to 3 - 0.6% to 0.7% per day
o Campaign 4 - 0.17% per day
o trace amounts of arsenic and sulfur were the main poisons
● Unit plant availability - 97.5%
Commercial Applications● Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) Coproduction
o Converts coal-derived syngas from power plant to methanolo Flexibility in syngas compositiono Continuous vs. off-peak power shaving
Image adapted from Heydorn et al.
Commercial Applications
● Distributed Generation
o No sulfur
o Low NOx
o Energy security
● Turbines
● Diesel engines
● Fuel cells
● Fuel alternative
Environmental Implications● Project developed with alleviation of environmental impacts in mind
● Generally, coal-based or fossil fuel-based (particularly natural gas) methods used for methanol production
o LPMEOH resulted in reduction of carbon emissions o Methanol produced for fuel purposes:
Free of sulfur Contained <1 wt% water
o When used as a fuel, showed significantly reduced NOx emissions with comparable performance
● Start-up process produced no noticeable environmental hazards
● Further improvements possible via “site-specific” design considerations
o Proximity to waste disposal sites
Waste Production● Demonstration unit showed no significant impact to local environment due
to process activity
● June 30, 1995: a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) issued, indicating an environmentally-sound process
● Lower-than-expected production of waste products including:o Spent catalysto Waste Oilo Recovered Distillate liquidso Waste Water
● All waste products easily handled and disposed of effectively.
Economic ● This method would not replace but instead couple with an existing
methanol production method, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC)
● Potential to realize a 25% reduction in variable cost of production to as low as $.50 per gallon of methanol.
● Economic estimates predict a return on investment of roughly 15%
● This process will allow a clean, cost effective transformation of coal into a practical, environmentally-friendly chemical feedstock
● In any case, the co-production of methanol remains economically preferable to offshore natural gas processing
Conclusion and Recommendations ● LPMEOH Demonstration Project accomplished the objectives set out in the
agreement between the DOE, Air Products, and Eastman Chemical Company
● Over 103.9 million gallons of methanol was produced with one month reaching a maximum of 2.5 million gallons
● The addition of catalysts helped with commercial interest and significantly improved the LPMEOH process
● Developments in the processes for removing trace contaminants in coal-derived syngas will extend catalyst life and lead to lower methanol conversion costs
● Additional reductions in syngas costs from a modern coal gasification system will increase market opportunities for the LPMEOH process
References● United States of America. Department of Energy. National Energy Technology
Laboratory. Commercial-Scale Demonstration of the Liquid Phase Methanol Process. By Robert J. Kirkland, Edward Schmetz, and Robert M. Kornosky. Washington D.C.: n.p., 2004. Print.
● United States of America. Department of Energy. National Energy Technology Laboratory. Final Report for the Commercial-Scale Demonstration of the Liquid Phase Methanol Process. By E. C. Heydorn and R. D. Lilly. Washington D.C.: n.p., 2003. Print.