Search

EP-4735378-A1 - INTEGRATED PROCESSES FOR UTILIZING SYNTHESIZED AND STORED METHANOL

EP4735378A1EP 4735378 A1EP4735378 A1EP 4735378A1EP-4735378-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to integrated processes for the production, storage, and use of methanol. In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a process for producing a H 2 /CO stream, the process comprising for a first period of time, synthesizing methanol by hydrogenation of CO 2 , and decomposing a second feed stream including the methanol to form CO and H 2 ; and for a second period of time, decomposing a third feed stream comprising stored methanol to form CO and H 2 . A synthesized methanol fraction of the second feed stream is substantially greater than a synthesized methanol fraction of the third feed stream.

Inventors

  • Taylor, Dave

Assignees

  • BP P.L.C.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240628

Claims (15)

  1. 1 . A process for the production of a H 2 /CO stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the process comprising: for a first period of time, providing a first feed stream comprising hydrogen and CO 2 ; contacting the first feed stream with a hydrogenation catalyst (e.g., in a hydrogenation reactor) to form a first product stream comprising synthesized methanol; providing a second feed stream comprising at least a portion of the synthesized methanol of the first product stream; contacting the second feed stream with a methanol decomposition catalyst (e.g., in a methanol decomposition reactor) to decompose at least a portion of the methanol to form a second product stream comprising CO and H 2 ; and providing at least a portion of the CO and the H 2 of the second product stream to the H 2 /CO stream; and for a second period of time, providing a source of stored methanol; providing a third feed stream comprising stored methanol; contacting the third feed stream with the methanol decomposition catalyst (e.g., in a methanol decomposition reactor) to decompose at least a portion of the methanol to form a third product stream comprising CO and H 2 ; and providing at least a portion of the CO and the H2 of the third product stream to the H 2 /CO stream, wherein the synthesized methanol fraction of the second feed stream is greater than the synthesized methanol fraction of the third feed stream.
  2. 2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises electrolyzing water to form an electrolysis product stream comprising hydrogen, and providing hydrogen from the electrolysis product stream to the first feed stream, wherein the electrolysis is performed using electricity from a renewable source.
  3. 3. The process according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the formation of the first product stream is performed with a selectivity of at least 65% for methanol.
  4. 4. The process according to any of claims 1 -33, wherein the portion of the first product stream that is included in the second feed stream has a water content of no more than 2 mol%. Confidential
  5. 5. The process according to any of claims 1-4, further comprising separating at least a portion of H 2 from the first product stream, wherein at least a portion of the separated H 2 is recycled to the first feed stream, and/or wherein at least a portion of the separated H 2 provided as a portion of a Fischer-Tropsch feed stream, and/or wherein at least a portion of the separated H 2 is used to activate a methanol decomposition catalyst and/or a Fischer- T ropsch catalyst.
  6. 6. The process according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the first period of time is in the range of 30 minutes to 4 hours.
  7. 7. The process according to any of claims 1 -6, wherein the first period of time is 30 minutes, or is 2 hours.
  8. 8. The process of any of claims 1 -7, wherein the second feed stream has a synthesized methanol fraction of at least 95%.
  9. 9. The process of any of claims 1 -9, wherein the third feed stream has a synthesized methanol fraction of no more than 70%.
  10. 10. The process of any of claims 1 -10, wherein the third feed stream has a stored methanol fraction of at least 20%.
  11. 11 . The process of claim 10, wherein stored methanol of the third feed stream has a storage time of at least three hours.
  12. 12. The process of any of claims 1 -11 , wherein a difference between the synthesized methanol fraction of the second feed stream and the synthesized methanol fraction of the third feed stream is at least 20%.
  13. 13. The process of any of claims 1 -12, wherein the process includes a plurality of alternating first and second periods of time.
  14. 14. The process of any of claims 1 -13, wherein the H 2 /CO stream further comprises at least a portion of hydrogen not derived from methanol decomposition. Confidential
  15. 15. A process for the production of hydrocarbons, the process comprising preparing a H 2 /CO stream by the process of any of claims 1-14 and performing a Fischer-Tropsch reaction by contacting at least a portion of the H 2 /CO stream with a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst (e.g., in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor) to provide a Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising hydrocarbons, water, and optionally oxygenated hydrocarbons. Confidential

Description

INTEGRATED PROCESSES FOR UTILIZING SYNTHESIZED AND STORED METHANOL CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 23182233.9, filed June 28, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE FIELD [0002] The present disclosure relates to integrated processes for the utilization of synthesized and stored methane, such as in the production of syngas. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND [0003] The conversion of synthesis gas into hydrocarbons by the Fischer-Tropsch process has been known for many years. The growing importance of alternative energy sources has resulted in renewed interest in the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process as it allows an alternative route to high-quality fuels and feedstock chemicals through use of bio-derived carbon sources. [0004] FT processes are typically used to produce linear hydrocarbons, which may be used in the production of fuels, as well as oxygenates which can also be useful in the production of fuels and otherwise serve as valuable feedstock chemicals. [0005] A variety of transition metals have been identified to be catalytically active in the conversion of synthesis gas into hydrocarbons and oxygenated derivatives thereof. In particular, cobalt, nickel, and iron have been studied, often in combination with a support material, of which the most common are alumina, silica and carbon. [0006] Synthesis gas (syngas) is comprised of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. While hydrogen is conventionally produced from natural gas or other fossil fuel sources, it can be also be produced through water electrolysis using electricity produced from a renewable source of energy, leading to a hydrogen product with potentially lower associated carbon dioxide emissions. However, renewable sources of energy, such as wind or solar, suffer from significant variability which makes their incorporation into steady-state processes, such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, challenging. [0007] Accordingly, there remains a need to develop processes to more efficiently utilize renewable sources of energy in the production of syngas. SUMMARY [0008] The present inventors have developed integrated processes for the production and storage of methanol, which can then be decomposed to generated syngas. Confidential Advantageously, these processes can incorporate hydrogen generated using a renewable source of energy and can serve to smooth the intermittent energy availability sometimes associated with the use of renewable sources, allowing for increased consistency of methanol supply and thus increased consistency of syngas production. [0009] Thus, in one aspect, the disclosure provides for processes for production of a H2/CO stream comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the process comprising: for a first period of time, providing a first feed stream comprising hydrogen and CO2; contacting the first feed stream with a hydrogenation catalyst (e.g., in a hydrogenation reactor) to form a first product stream comprising synthesized methanol; providing a second feed stream comprising at least a portion of the synthesized methanol of the first product stream; contacting the second feed stream with a methanol decomposition catalyst (e.g., in a methanol decomposition reactor) to decompose at least a portion of the methanol to form a second product stream comprising CO and H2; and providing at least a portion of the CO and the H2 of the second product stream to the H2/CO stream; and for a second period of time, providing a source of stored methanol; providing a third feed stream comprising stored methanol; contacting the third feed stream with the methanol decomposition catalyst (e.g., in a methanol decomposition reactor) to decompose at least a portion of the methanol to form a third product stream comprising CO and H2; and providing at least a portion of the CO and the H2 of the third product stream to the H2/CO stream, wherein the synthesized methanol fraction of the second feed stream is greater than the synthesized methanol fraction of the third feed stream. [0010] In another aspect, the present disclosure provides for processes for the production of hydrocarbons, the process comprising preparing a H2/CO steam by the process as described herein, performing a Fischer-Tropsch reaction by contacting at least a portion of the H2/CO stream as otherwise described herein with a Fischer-Tropsch catalyst (e.g., in a Fischer-Tropsch reactor) to provide a Fischer-Tropsch product stream comprising hydrocarbons, water, and optionally oxygenated hydrocarbons. [0011] Other aspects of the disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the description that follows. Confidential BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] Fig. 1 provides a process schematic according to one embodiment of the disclosure. DEAILED DESCRIPTION [0013] Energy derived from renewable sources of often suffers from intermittency in availability, with l