Liquid-Phase synthesis of methanol using industrial copper-zinc catalyst

The industrial copper-zinc catalyst MEGAMAX® 700 for the gas-phase synthesis of methanol was tested under the conditions of a liquid-phase process while varying the pressure (0.5-7.0 MPa) and the gas mixture flow rate (40-400 mLN/min). The catalyst was shown to have high activity and selectivity in the synthesis of methanol. The best result (730 g(methanol)/kg(cat) h-1 and selectivity 99.2%) was obtained under reaction conditions of 2.0 MPa, 240°C, H2 : CO : CO2 : N2 = 70.5 : 17.9 : 6.5 : 5.1, and reaction time 3 h. The concentration of methane by-product increased at gas mixture pressures over 3.0 MPa, lowering the selectivity of the process with respect to methanol. Trace amounts of ethane and water were found in addition to methane. Dimethyl ether, a typical by-product of methanol synthesis, was missing from the vapor-gas mixture over the range of pressures. The results from this study indicate that the MEGAMAX® 700 catalyst can be used in the liquid-phase synthesis of methanol. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2014.