Process Simulation and
Integration of Methanol
Production
3rd Year Chemical Engineering
Research Project
By: Aaron McClean
Introduction
Welcome to this Presentation on the
Simulation and Integration of a Methanol
Production Process
The Project in Brief
The Project Involves the Simulation of a
conventional methanol process using Aspen
simulation software. Using stream data
obtained from the simulation and Process
Integration techniques, a maximum energy
recovery system is then designed
Three Project Objectives
Development of a Methanol Production
Process
Simulation of the Methanol Production
Process using Aspen Plus
Carryout Process Integration on the
Methanol Process to gain a Maximum
Energy Recovery system
Development of a Methanol
Production Process
Research into various routes for the
production of methanol
Process selection
Producing a Flow Diagram of the Process
Collecting information on the physical
properties and characteristics of the Process
Process Flow Diagram
This
diagram
shows the
main
sections in
Methanol
Production
Natural Gas
Oxygen
Combustion
Steam
Synthesis Gas
Reaction
Crude Methanol
Distillation
Methanol
Process Sections
Partial Combustion of Natural Gas to
produce Synthesis Gas
Conversion of Synthesis Gas to Methanol
Purification of Crude Methanol by
Distillation
Partial Combustion of Natural
Gas to produce Synthesis Gas
Natural Gas composed of 80% Methane, 15% Ethane and 5% Propane
Partial Combustion Reaction
Water Shift reaction
Natural Gas + O2
CO + H2
Natural Gas + H2O
CO + 3H2
CO + H2O
CO2 + H2
Conversion of Synthesis Gas to
Methanol
Methanol Conversion Reactions
CO + 2H2
2CO + 4H2
CO2 + H2
CH3OH
CH3OCH3 + H2O
CO + H2O
Process Diagram
Simulation of the Methanol
Production Process using Aspen
Plus
Aspen Plus is a Computer Simulation
Package for Chemical Processes
It is Primarily used as a labour and time
saving tool
It is still only a tool, and does not replace the
knowledge required by the Process Engineer
Aspen Plus User Interface
Aspen Plus User Interface
Methanol Process Simulation
Process Integration
What is Process Integration?
What does Process Integration involve?
Why carry out Process Integration?
What is Process Integration
Process Integration is the optimisation of a
Chemical Process to produce a Maximum
energy recovery system
C ool FEED
REC YC LE
FEED
H eat
R e a c to r
Cool
PRO D UCT
H eat
BYPR O DU C T
What does Process Integration
involve?
Pinch Technology
What is a Pinch Analysis?
What is required for the analysis?
How is an analysis performed?
What is a Pinch Analysis?
Linking streams that need heating to those that need cooling
RECYCLE
HEATING
Heat
160
2500
210
270
REACTOR
210
50
REAC. OUT
COOLING
Cool
130
160
1980
FEED
HEATING
PRODUCT
COOLING
Heat
3200
220
Cool
60
3520
What is a Pinch Analysis?
What is meant by the Pinch
220
RECYCLE
STEAM
178
1620
160
880
CW
180
160
60
2640
DIST
VAP130
210
REACTOR
REAC.
OUT
210
270
160
Distillation
Column
149
FEED 50
Above Pinch
Below Pinch
STEAM
1220
1980
220
PRODUCT
What is meant by the Pinch
The Composite Curve
T
m in
P in c h
(H o t)
P in c h
( C o ld )
m in
The Composite Curve
T
270
220
160
CP
P
C
22
18
210
160
Reac.
Out
CP
Product
60
=
CP
20
50
Recycle
Feed
3520
50
1980
2500
3200
No
Name
Tsupply
Ttarget
No
Name
Tsupply
Ttarget
Product
220
60
3520
Feed
50
210
3200
Reac. Out
270
160
1980
Recycle
160
210
2500
The Composite Curve
QHMIN = 1000
250
Hot Composite
Curve
200
Tmin= 20
150
100
50
Cold Composite
Curve
0
Qcmin= 800
Hot Utility Target QHMIN = 1000
Cold Utility Target QCMIN = 800
Creating a heat exchanger
network
Product
Reac. Out
180
220
270
235.6
80
440
180
60
160
360
210
210
160
1000
190
177.6
620
QHmin
= 1000
1000
160
50
2200
Recycle
880
QCmin
= 800
Feed
Driving force plot
T
b
Tmin
Driving Force Plot
Representation of driving forces
for vertical heat transfer
Tcold composite
Driving Force plot used to check
the use of exchangers
T
CP
1
2
0.5
TC
Why carry out Process
Integration?
Process Costs Reduced
N o In te g r a tio n
40
S te a m
(1 0 0 C )
H =
1000
40
In te g r a tio n
40
H =
1000
H =
1000
40
H = 1000
100
100
H = 1000
100
H = 1000
20
20
20
C
C
C
50
100
50
100
50
C o o lin g w a t e r
(2 0 -4 0 C )
T o ta l H e a t T ra n s fe rre d = 6 0 0 0 k W
A re a = 11 2 m
40
40
H =
1000
50
H =
1000
50
H =
1000
100
20
20
50
20
T o ta l H e a t T ra n s fe rre d = 3 0 0 0 k W
A re a = 6 9 m
Process Integration on Methanol
Process
Summary
Aspen Plus is a great tool for the
development of chemical processes or
carrying out analysis on existing
processes
Process Integration gives a reduction in
the amount of Energy required in the
process
Pinch Technology can be used to reduce
the number of Heat Exchangers required
Thank You for your time and
patience
Please feel free to ask questions or give feed
back on this presentation
