Methanol from Natural Gas by ICI’s LP Process

(High Efficiency Design)

Aspen Model Documentation

Index

• Process Summary

• About This Process

• Process Definition

• Process Conditions

• Physical Property Models and Data

• Chemistry/Kinetics

• Key Parameters

• Selected Simulation Results:

Blocks
Streams

• References

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Process Summary

The Methanol from Natural Gas by ICI’s LP (Low Pressure) Process Model illustrates the use of ASPEN PLUS
to model a Methanol reforming and synthesis process using ICI’s LP process. The design capacity for a typical plant is
825,000 Metric Ton/yr, at 0.90 stream factor. The whole process includes three sections: natural gas reforming
section, methanol synthesis section, and distillation section. The final product is Methanol.

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About This Process
There are three types of processes commonly employed for the manufacture of Methanol from
Natural Gas. These are the ICI’s LP Process, the Lurgi Combined Reforming Process, and the ICI’s LCM
Process. Table 1 provides basic information on these processes and examples of some of the companies that
have commercialized the process technology. All of these processes use Ni based catalyst in Natural Gas
reforming reactors and Cu based in the Methanol synthesis reactor.

Table 1. Summary of Processes for Methanol Synthesis

Process Reformer Reactor Catalyst Company

Primary Secondary Temp. Pressure Reforming Synthesis

ICI LP Steam saturated None 520 F 1500 psi ICI 574 ICI
100% Natural Gas Properietary
flow Cu based

Lurgi Steam saturated Primary reforming 500 F 1480 psi Ni based Cu based Tenneco
Combined 50% Natural Gas gas, 50% Natural Productivity Chemical,
flow Gas flow, and is 1kg / liter Sabah Gas
pure Oxygen Catalyst / hr Industries
Steam/Carbon = H2 : CO =
2.5:1 2.02 :1

ICI LCM Steam saturated Primary reforming 220-270 C1100 psi Primary Proprietary BHP
100% Natural Gas gas and pure Proprietary Cu based Petroleum
flow Oxygen Ni based Productivity Conoco
Steam/Carbon = H2 : CO = Secondary is 1kg / liter
1.42 : 1 2.02 :1 Proprietary, Catalyst / hr
supported
Rh on !"#l

The original ICI process rejected substantial quantities of heat energy into cooling water and air. In late 1974,
ICI introduced the ‘Reduced Energy Concept’. Several changes were made at that time and thereafter:

• Replacement of LP stream reboilers in the distillation train by ones that were heated by reformer
process gas.

• Inclusion of a boiler feedwater heating system in the reformer gas cooling system and in the methanol
synthesis loop, to recover energy which had been discarded in the original 1967 design.

• Enhanced heat recovery from flue gases by the introduction of an air preheater in the reformer
convection section.

The “Improved Distillation” design was added to the design package in 1977. Instead of the conventional
two-column system, a four-column arrangement was deployed, which produced chemical grade overhead and

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rejected water in the bottom stream. The first of these columns is operated under pressure. This permits the
condensation of overhead vapor at a sufficiently high temperature for use as reboil energy in the next column,
which operates at near atmospheric pressure. The pressure column produces slightly impure methanol, rejects
water that is virtually methanol free and removes most of the higher alcohols as a sidestream. The
atmospheric pressure column does the final refining. The reduction in energy is obtained through the use of
lower reflux ratios.

The High Efficiency Design (1979) version of the process introduced additional energy saving features:

• The use of a “feedstock saturator”. The natural gas is scrubbed countercurrently with hot water.
Energy for heating the water is low grade and comes mainly from the methanol synthesis loop.

• A greater extent of heat recovery from the reformer product, flue gas, and synthesis product streams.

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Process Definition
An ASPEN PLUS model is developed to simulate the ICI’s LP process. The whole process includes
three sections: natural gas reforming section, methanol synthesis section, and distillation section.

1) The Reforming Section:

In the ICI LP process, there is only one reformer. Unlike the Lurgi or LCM process, there is also only
steam reforming process in this section. A feedstock water saturator (C101) is employed to furnish 50% of
the process reformer steam. The natural gas feed is desulfurized in M101 with active carbon. Preheating of
the reformer reactants to 1000F takes place in E101, and the reaction is carried out in the radiant section of
reforming furnace F101. The reformed stream, stream 6, comes out of F101, and through a series of heat
exchangers (E105, 306, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110), flows into the synthesis section. The reforming gas stream
6 comes out of the reformer at a temperature of 1600 F, and leaves the section at a temperature of 100 F.
V102, V103, V104 and V105 separate the water like de-saturators, and discharge the water into the recycle
streams 32 and 10.

2) The Synthesis Section:

The synthesis section consists of reactor R201 and heat exchangers and flashes. The Syngas stream
comes out of the reforming section and is compressed by K201 to 1500 psia. After exchanging heat with the
synthesis reactor R201 product in heat exchangers E202, E203, E204 and E205, the syngas reacts in R201 to
produce crude methanol, stream 17. V201 and V202 separate uncondensed gases. The impure methanol
synthesized, stream 20, flows to the distillation section for purification.

3) The Distillation Section:

The distillation section includes four distillation towers, C301, C302, C303 and C304. The overhead
vapor from C301 is cooled in E302, and the condensate, mainly methanol with some light ends, is returned as
reflux. The uncondensed vapor mainly consisting of dimethyl ether is removed from reflux drum V301 to
blend with the synthesis section purge. The bottom product from C301 is fed to C302, the refining column,
which is operated at 100 psia at the base. Most of the water is separated in the bottom, stream 26, and the wet
methanol is further purified in C303. C304 picks up some methanol left in the bottoms of C303 which is then
sent to the final product, stream 31.

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Process Conditions
The process conditions are as listed in Table 2.

Table 2. Process Conditions

Component Description

Methane Raw material

CO2 Inert gas and Intermediate product
CO Intermediate product
Hydrogen Intermediate product
Nitrogen Inert gas
Oxygen Reforming component
Ethane Raw material
Propane Raw material
Methanol Product
Dimethyl Ether Intermediate product
N-Butanol Intermediate product
Acetone Intermediate product
Water Reforming component

Operating Conditions

Reformer
Inlet Pressure: 295 psia
Temperature: 1460 F

Synthesis Reactor
Pressure: 1500 psia
Temperature: 520 F

All reactors use ASPEN PLUS REQUIL and RSTOIC reactors.

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Physical Property Methods and Data
The NRTL-RK thermodynamic method is used with Henry’s Law. All the major binary interaction parameters are in the
Aspen data bank.

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Chemistry/Kinetics

Primary Reformer: F101

Reaction Conversion/Extent

CH4 + H2O = CO2 + 4 H2 2543.41 lbmol/hr

CH4 + H2O = CO + 3 H2 3884.45 lbmol/hr
C2H6 + 2 H2O =2 CO + 5 H2 100% Conversion of Ethane
C3H8 + 3 H2O =3 CO + 7 H2 100% Conversion of Propane

Aspen’s RSTOIC model is used to model this reactor.

Combustion Reactions in Reformer Furnace: F101S

Reaction Conversion/Base Component

CH4 + 2O2=CO2+2H2O 0.995/CH4

2C2H6+7O2=4CO2+2H2O 0.994615/C2H6
2CO+O2=2CO2 1/CO
2H2+O2=2H2O 0.998/H2
2CH3OH+3O2=2CO2+4H2O 0.998/CH3OH
C3H8+5O2=3CO2+4H2O 0.9945/C3H8
2CH3OCH3+6O2=4CO2+6H2O 1/CH3OCH3
H2S+1.5O2=SO2+H2O 1/H2S

Aspen’s RSTOIC model is used to model this reactor.

Synthesis Reformer: R201

Reaction Reaction’s Extent

CO + 1 H2O = CO2 + 1 H2 55.8 F Temperature Approach

CO2 + 3 H2 = CH3OH + 1 H2O 27 F Temperature Approach
2CH3OH =DM-Ether + H2O 0.441 lbmol/hr
4CO + 8 H2 = 1 Butanol + 3 H2O 1.764 lbmol/hr
3CO + 5 H2 = 1 Acetone + 2 H2O 0.661 lbmol/hr

Aspen’s REQUIL model is used to model this reactor.

Molar Extent is used to control the low yield of by-products.

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References

58074 Scott, R.H. (to ICI), “Process for Purifying Methanol by Distillation” US 4,013,521
(March 22, 1977)
58097 Pinto, A. (to ICI), “Methanol Distillation Process” US 4,210,495 (July 1, 1980)
58111 Dunster, M., et al., “Reduced Natural Gas Consumption for Methanol Production,” Inst.
Chem. Eng. Symp. Ser. 44,5 (1976), 47-52
58144 Pinto, A. et al., “Optimizing the ICI Low-Pressure Methanol Process” Chem. Eng., 84,
14, July 1977, 102-8
58145 Pinto, A. et al., “Impact High Fuel Cost on Plant Design” Chem. Eng., 84, 14, July
1977, 95-100
58150 Masson, J.R. “Energy Saving in LP Methanol Industries,”, March 3-8, 1980
415230 Pinto, A. (to ICI), “Steam Hydrocarbon Process” US 4,072,625 (Feb 7, 1978)
415329 Camps, J.A., et al. “Synthetic Gas Production for Methanol”: Current and Future Trends,
“Am. Chem. Soc., Symp. Ser., 116 (1979, publ. 1980), 123-46

472134 Rowell, G. M. (to Humphreys & Glasgow), “Synthesis Gas Production”, British
2,066,841 (July 15, 1981)
472157 Supp, E. “Improved Methanol Process”, “Hydrocarbon Processing”, 60, 3 (March 1981)
71-5
472158 “Methanol (ICI Low Pressure Process”, “Hydrocarbon Processing” 60, 11 (November
1981), 183.
472165 Strelzoff, S., “Methanol: Its Technology and Economics”, paper in “Methanol
Technology and Economics”, Chemical Engineering Progress” Symp.
Ser., 66, 98 (1970), 54-68.
472167 Dybkjaer, Ib., “Topsoe Methanol Technology”, Chem. Econ. Eng. Review, 13, 6 (149),
(June 1981), 17-25.
475322 Brennan, J. R., “Recover Power with Hydraulic Motors”, Hydrocarbon Processing, 60, 7
(July 1981) 72-4.

Reports

Satish Nirula , Methanol , Process Economics Program Report No. 43 B (August 1982).

Report by: Sherif Aly

August 25, 1999

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