US 12,291,453 B2
Methane rich gas upgrading to methanol
Peter Mølgaard Mortensen, Roskilde (DK); John Bøgild Hansen, Humlebæk (DK); Kim Aasberg-Petersen, Allerød (DK); and Charlotte Stub Nielsen, Holte (DK)
Assigned to HALDOR TOPSØE A/S, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)
Appl. No. 17/616,926
Filed by HALDOR TOPSØE A/S, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)
PCT Filed Jun. 4, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/065438
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 6, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/254116, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 24, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. PA 2019 00735 (DK), filed on Jun. 18, 2019; and application No. PA 2019 00877 (DK), filed on Jul. 15, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0306467 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C01B 3/40 (2006.01); C01B 3/38 (2006.01); C07C 29/151 (2006.01); C07C 29/152 (2006.01); C25B 1/042 (2021.01); C25B 15/08 (2006.01)
CPC C01B 3/40 (2013.01) [C01B 3/384 (2013.01); C07C 29/1518 (2013.01); C07C 29/152 (2013.01); C25B 1/042 (2021.01); C25B 15/081 (2021.01); C01B 2203/0233 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0405 (2013.01); C01B 2203/061 (2013.01); C01B 2203/0827 (2013.01); C01B 2203/085 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1017 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1241 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1258 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1294 (2013.01); C01B 2203/142 (2013.01); C01B 2203/148 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1614 (2013.01); C01B 2203/1628 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for upgrading a hydrocarbon feed gas to methanol, comprising the steps of:
a1) providing a hydrocarbon feed gas,
b1) optionally, providing CO2 to the process,
b2) optionally, purifying the hydrocarbon feed gas in a gas purification unit,
b3) optionally, prereforming the hydrocarbon feed gas together with a steam feedstock in a prereforming unit,
c) carrying out steam methane reforming in a reforming reactor comprising a pressure shell housing a structured catalyst arranged to catalyze steam reforming of said hydrocarbon feed gas, said structured catalyst comprising a macroscopic structure of an electrically conductive material, said macroscopic structure supporting a ceramic coating, where said ceramic coating supports a catalytically active material; said steam methane reforming comprising the following steps:
c1) supplying said hydrocarbon feed gas to the reforming reactor,
c2) allowing the hydrocarbon feed gas to undergo steam methane reforming reaction over the structured catalyst and outletting a synthesis gas from the reforming reactor, and
c3) supplying electrical power via electrical conductors connecting an electrical power supply placed outside said pressure shell to said structured catalyst, allowing an electrical current to run through said macroscopic structure material, thereby heating at least part of the structured catalyst to a temperature of at least 500° C.,
d) providing at least part of the synthesis gas from step c2) to a methanol synthesis unit to provide a product comprising methanol and an off-gas.