methanol converter types
DESCRIPTION
Methanol Converter TypesTRANSCRIPT
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Gerard B. Hawkins Managing Director
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• Quench Converter • ARC Converter • Tube Cooled • Toyo MRF-Z • Adiabatic Beds
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Exit Catalyst Discharge Chute
Catalyst Discharge Chute
Manway
Manway Inlet
Inert Balls
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Vessel Wall
Shot Pipe
Sparge Pipe
Sparge Holes
Mesh
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180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 0
2
4
6
8
10
Temperature (°C)
Met
hano
l Con
cent
ratio
n (m
ol%
)
Max Rate
Curve
Methanol
Equilibrium
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MUG
Flash Drum
Separator
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• Benefits are ◦ Simple ◦ Reliable ◦ Well proven ◦ Capacity up to 3000 mtpd
• Recover heat into saturator circuit • The catalyst doesn’t see all the gas. • Poor catalyst loading can lead to cold core
developing
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• Significant flow mal-distribution • Some zones are cold ◦ Can lose reaction
• Some zones are hot ◦ High byproducts levels ◦ High rate of catalyst deactivation
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Cool Normal Normal
Catalyst density
Low flow
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• It is not caused by the quench lozenges being poor distributors of the cool incoming gas.
• The reverse is true - the lozenges are very good distributors.
• The problem is that voidage variations across the bed can cause varying flows down different parts of the reactor.
• ARC retrofit developed to overcome problem.
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Catalyst Support Plates Individual / Separate
Catalyst Beds
Gas Mixing System
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x x xx x x x xx x x xx x x x xx x x x xx x x x xx x x x xx x x x xx x x x xx x x x xx x x xx x x x xx x x x xx x
C a t aly s t be d
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Inlet Temperature Exit Temperature
Bed 3 237 °C
Bed 1 223 °C
Bed 4 230 °CBed 3 270 °C
Bed 1 270 °CBed 2 223 °C
Bed 4 260 °C
Bed 2 270 °C
Bed 3 261 °C
Bed 1 251 °C
Bed 4 269 °C
Bed 3 289 °C
Bed 1 291 °CBed 2 262 °C
Bed 2 301 °C
* Figures in red are from current operating records (Sept. '96)
* Figures in black are from ARC design case
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Tem
pera
ture
% Methanol
Equilibrium Line Quench Converter
ARC Converter
Increase in Methanol %
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0 10 20 30 40 500
50
100
150
200
temperature stand. dev. °C
% in
crea
se in
by-
prod
ucts
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QCC + ICI 51-7 ARC + ICI 51-7Ethanol 200 69 ppm
Propanol 71 28 ppmButanol 71 33 ppm
MEK 13 <5 ppmDecane C10 2.6 0.9 ppm
Undecane C11 1.8 0.6 ppmDodecane C12 1.2 0.4 ppmTridecane C13 0.7 0.3 ppm
Comp A Comp A
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0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,4001,400
1,450
1,500
1,550
1,600
1,650
Days on line
Prod
uctio
n (t
e/da
y)
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Key features improved gas mixing no penalty on pressure drop better utilisation of the converter volume minimise the by-product levels
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Arc RevampCatalyst Loading
Lozenge removalConverter inspection
Fit ARC internalsCatalyst loading
Bed 5Bed 4Bed 3Bed 2Bed 1
0 7 14 21
activ
ity
days
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• ARC converters have exhibited an instability • This is highlighted by inlet and outlet temperatures
varying as per a sine wave • Feedback occurs over warm loop interchanger • Normally stable but can become unstable ◦ Leads to loss of strike in converter
• Action is to reduce circulation rate
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Manway
Outlet
Manway
Inlet
Catalyst Discharge Port
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Heat Recovery Unit
Crude
Crude Cooler
Loop Interchanger
Syn Gas
Purge
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180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320 0
2
4
6
8
10
Temperature (°C)
Met
hano
l Con
cent
ratio
n (m
ol%
)
Max Rate Curve
Methanol Equilibrium
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• Cheaper loop with heat transfer and reaction • Smooth catalyst temperature profile • Good catalyst utilisation • Mechanically simple • All converter effluent available at high temperature ◦ Can be used to heat saturator water
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• Mixing shall be effective • Mixer should ◦ either not impede loading ◦ or be easy to install and remove.
• Mixer should enhance safe operation and be mechanically robust.
• Leakage of gas bypassing mixer should be minimized.
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Steam Outlet
Central Pipe
Catalyst Loading Gas Inlet
Gas Outlet & Catalyst Unloading
BFW Inlet
Cooling Tube
Catalyst
Inert Balls
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Outlet Collector
Scallops Adiabatic Beds Cooled Bed
Cooling Tube
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180 200 220 240 260 280 300 3203
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Temperature (°C)
Met
hano
l Con
cent
ratio
n (m
ol%
)
Max RateCurve
MethanolEquilibrium
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• 28-32 Bara steam raised • Good approach to equilibrium • Low pressure drop, 0.5 to 0.75 bar • Catalyst discharge complex • Small number of tubes (c.f. Lurgi converter)
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Crude
Crude Cooler
Loop Interchanger
Syn Gas
Purge
Steam
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180 200 220 240 260 280 300 3200
2
4
6
8
10
Temperature (°C)
Met
hano
l Con
cent
ratio
n (m
ol%
)
Max RateCurve
MethanolEquilibrium
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• Cross flow means high heat transfer coefficient ◦ Smaller surface area
• Good utilisation of shell volume • Raised steam at between 30-40 bara • But ◦ Costly (not as expensive as Uhde/Lurgi) ◦ Large interchanger required ◦ Pressure is slightly lower than Uhde/Lurgi
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Casale
Horizontal Adiabatic Converter
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180 200 220 240 260 280 300 3200
2
4
6
8
10
Temperature (°C)
Met
hano
l Con
cent
ratio
n (m
ol%
)
Max RateCurve
MethanolEquilibrium
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• All the gas sees all of the catalyst • Cheap vessels - can be spherical • Vessels can be designed the same ◦ Reduces CAPEX
• But ◦ Large loop interchanger ◦ Multiple vessels (excluding Casale’s Horizontal
Converter) ◦ Beds are shallow and so mal distribution can be a
problem
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Relative Catalyst Volumes
Base Case 2800 te/day plant (Chile 3)
Fixed circulation rate (recycle ratio = 4.2)
Reactor Catalyst Volume (m3)
ARC 242
TCC 175
SRC 150
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• Loop pressurised to 7 bar with nitrogen • Heated to 180°C • Add small amount of H2 for calibration • Heat to give peak temperature of 220°C • Add hydrogen to 2% • Monitor temperatures • When exotherm profile moves through bed start
soak • Increase H2 and temperature
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• Similar to Reduction • Use air instead • Again exothermic • Also requires soak • Can not fully guarantee full oxidation • Procedure is available
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