Clean coal technologies in China based on methanol platform

Abstract

Coal is the most abundant fossil energy, however, coal industry is threatened by its environmental problems caused by the traditional way of utilization. In recent years, China has developed a series of clean coal technologies to transform black-dirty coal into clean fuels and chemicals. Shenhua Group, the largest coal company in China is leading the commercialization of modern clean-coal technologies for value-added chemicals and clean transportation fuels, in which CO2 is captured in the process and ready for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). Industrial plants for coal based methanol production and conversion are flourishing in last decade. With the development of renewable H2, methanol production could be realized by CO2 hydrogenation to transform into “Methanol Economy”, the sustainable energy development system. This paper will focus on the overview of research and development of methanol-based coal conversion technologies in China, such as methanol synthesis, methanol to olefins (MTO), chemicals (formaldehyde, acetic acid, aromatics, ethanol, ethylene glycol, etc.), gasoline (MTG), dimethyl ether (DME), polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (DMMn), methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), direct combustion (DMFC), and as energy carrier. Commercial and successfully demonstrated units in China on both the synthesis of methanol and its utilization are discussed in detail.