流通式反応装置における液相メタノール合成反応速度の実験的測定

Abstract

To achieve reduction of primary energy consumption and prevent deterioration of global environment, a liquid-phase methanol synthesis process was investigated to recover wasted or unused discharged heat from industrial sources for the thermal energy demands of residential and commercial areas. The chemical reaction rate of methanol synthesis by hydrogenolysis of methyl formate was measured using a plate-type of Raney copper catalyst in a reactor with circulating flow. The contents of methanol in the liquid were analyzed by gas chromatographs, then the reaction rate was calculated by the measured increases in methanol due to reaction. The reaction characteristics were investigated by carrying the experiments at various temperatures, flow velocities and at various catalyst development conditions. It was obtained that the reaction rate increases with the temperature due to the enhancement of activation of the catalyst and the increases of solubility of hydrogen gas in methyl formate. It increases also at higher flow velocity for the higher diffusion effect. The reaction rate showed little dependence on the catalyst thickness under the present experimental condition for the catalyst thickness ranging from 64 to 70μm.