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
Natural Gas

This
diagram Oxygen
Combustion
shows the Steam
Synthesis Gas
main Reaction
sections in Crude Methanol
Methanol Distillation

Production
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
Natural Gas + O2 CO + H2

Water Shift reaction

Natural Gas + H2O CO + 3H2
CO + H2O CO2 + H2
 Conversion of Synthesis Gas to
Methanol
Methanol Conversion Reactions

CO + 2H2 CH3OH

2CO + 4H2 CH3OCH3 + H2O

CO2 + H2 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

Cool FEED
RECYCLE
FEED
Cool
Reactor
Heat

PRODUCT

Heat

BYPRODUCT
 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

REAC. OUT 130

210 COOLING
270 160
REACTOR Cool

210
1980

FEED
HEATING
50 PRODUCT
Heat COOLING

Cool
3200
220 60
3520
 What is a Pinch Analysis?
What is meant by the Pinch

RECYCLE 220
STEAM 178
1620
880 CW
160 60
180
160
2640
DIST
VAP130
210 REAC.
OUT
REACTOR
270 160 Distillation
210 Column

149
STEAM
1220 1980
FEED 50

Above Pinch 220 PRODUCT

Below Pinch
 What is meant by the Pinch
The Composite Curve
T QHmin

Pinch
(Hot)

Pinch
(Cold)

QCmin
H
 The Composite Curve
T
T

270

220 210

160 Reac. 160

Out Recycle

Product
Feed
60 3520 1980 50 3200 2500

H H

No Name Tsupply Ttarget DH No Name Tsupply Ttarget DH

1 Product 220 60 3520 3 Feed 50 210 3200

2 Reac. Out 270 160 1980 4 Recycle 160 210 2500

 The Composite Curve
QHMIN = 1000

250

Hot Composite
200 Curve

D Tmin= 20
150

100

50 Hot Utility Target QHMIN = 1000

Cold Composite
Cold Utility Target QCMIN = 800
Curve
0
Qcmin= 800
 Creating a heat exchanger
network
220 180 80 60
Product C
270 235.6 180
440 160
Reac. Out C
360

210 160 50
Feed
1000 2200
210 190 177.6 160
H Recycle

1000 620 880

QHmin
= 1000 QCmin
= 800
 Driving force plot
DT

a
b
DTmin Tcold composite
Driving Force Plot

Representation of driving forces

for vertical heat transfer
Driving Force plot used to check
the use of exchangers
CP
DT 1
2

0.5

TC
 Why carry out Process
Integration?
Process Costs Reduced
No Integration Integration
40 40 40
DH = DH = DH =
1000 1000 1000
Steam
H H H 40 40 40
(100C)

DH =
DH = 1000 1000
100 C 50 100 50

DH =
100 DH = 1000 100 1000
C 50 50

DH =
DH = 1000 1000
100 C 50 100 50

Cooling water
20 20 20 (20-40C) 20 20 20

Total Heat Transferred = 6000kW Total Heat Transferred = 3000kW

Area = 112m Area = 69m
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

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