GTL Process Research Articles

Multiobjective optimization scheme for industrial synthesis gas sweetening plant in GTL process

Abstract In industrial amine plants the optimized operating conditions are obtained from the conclusion of occurred events and challenges that are normal in the working units. For the sake of reducing the costs, time consuming, and preventing unsuitable accidents, the optimization could be performed by a computer program. In this paper, simulation and parameter analysis of amine plant is performed at first. The optimization of this unit is studied using Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II in order to produce sweet gas with CO 2 mole percentage less than 2.0% and H 2S concentration less than 10 ppm for application in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The simulation of the plant in HYSYS v.3.1 software has been linked with MATLAB code for real-parameter NSGA-II to simulate and optimize the amine process. Three scenarios are selected to cover the effect of (DEA/MDEA) mass composition percent ratio at amine solution on objective functions. Results show that sour gas temperature and pressure of 33.98 °C and 14.96 bar, DEA/CO 2 molar flow ratio of 12.58, regeneration gas temperature and pressure of 94.92 °C and 3.0 bar, regenerator pressure of 1.53 bar, and ratio of DEA/MDEA = 20%/10% are the best values for minimizing plant energy consumption, amine circulation rate, and carbon dioxide recovery.

New GTL process takes a step closer to commercialization

New GTL process takes a step closer to commercialization

Simulation Analysis of a GTL Process Using Aspen Plus

AbstractGas‐to‐liquid (GTL) processes are becoming attractive due to the increasing price of crude oil. Process simulation analysis on the integrated GTL process is essential as part of an extended process integration analysis of the research subjects. The two sub‐process models for the GTL process, i.e., the syngas generation process and the Fischer Tropsch synthesis (FTS) process, are analyzed in detail with ASPEN Plus. The autothermal reforming process (ATR) is analyzed using Aspen Plus based on the Gibbs reactor model, while FTS is simulated with ASPEN Plus based on detailed kinetic models for industrial iron and cobalt catalysts. Integrated GTL processes with iron and cobalt‐based catalysts were simulated using ASPEN Plus. The optimal flowsheet structures were selected for each catalyst based on the overall performance in terms of thermal and carbon efficiency and product distributions. For the cobalt‐based catalyst, the full conversion concept without CO2 removal from the FT tail gas is optimal. On the other hand, the once‐through concept with two series reactors and CO2 removal from raw syngas is considered optimal for the iron‐based catalyst. The thermal efficiency to crude products is likely to be ca. 60 % for the cobalt‐based catalyst, whereas it is in the range of 49–55 % for the iron‐based catalyst. The carbon efficiency using the water‐gas shift reaction is lower using the iron‐based catalyst (61–68 %) than the cobalt‐based catalyst (73–75 %). As expected, the cobalt‐based catalyst is more active and selective, which offers better selectivity towards C5+ (75–79 %). The selectivity towards C5+ for the iron‐based catalyst lies in the range 63–75 %.

Exergy Analysis of a GTL Process Based on Low-Temperature Slurry F−T Reactor Technology with a Cobalt Catalyst

Interest in the gas-to-liquid process (GTL) using Fischer−Tropsch reactors (F−T) has increased in recent years because of its potential to replace ordinary petroleum with sulfur-free fuels. However, the efficiency of the process is still low compared with current routes; a large amount of the initial exergy of the gas is used to convert it into liquid fuel. In the present study, we analyze the overall thermodynamic efficiency of a GTL process and point out the main sources of entropy production. Next, we use exergy analysis to establish the impact of catalyst selectivity and of thermal losses on the process efficiency. In particular, we report the effect of selectivity losses in the F−T reactor and reformer, and the impact of high-temperature heat integration across the reforming unit.

The Shell GTL Process: Towards a World Scale Project in Qatar

The Shell GTL Process: Towards a World Scale Project in Qatar

最近のＧＴＬプロジェクト動向およびＧＴＬ発展の可能性―上流事業者にとってのＧＴＬビジネス―

GTL as a new tool to develop the gas reserves is a very important means for upstream companies because it has a possibility to lessen the hurdles to explore the gas fields. This is derived from that the GTL technologies can change a gas into petroleum products near well head and it can make alter gas business into oil business despite gas field development. In this sense, GTL has the different value for upstream companies from such other advanced gas field development technologies as CNG, NGH, DME, GTW and so forth, in which technologies the chain from upstream and downstream has to be constructed before the field development in order to apply them to gas reservoirs, like in such conventional gas field development technologies as pipeline, LNG.GTL project will be carried out for the coming 10 years in the following ;> GTL project will be led by upstream companies not by downstream companies because the needs on the GTL products in the market are low.> Application of GTL process will be limited in large gas reservoirs, fields with associated gas and high wet gas because the CAPEX is relatively high and it requires a gas with low cost to acquire reasonable economics.> GTL project players will be confined to such four groups as Shell, Sasol/Chevron Texaco, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips because GTL is an emerging technology and has a high risk.> Countries for GTL projects to be developed will be mainly in the Middle East area centering on Qatar.On these basis, the amounts of GTL products from new plants are anticipated to be 140,000 bbl/day by 2010 and 580-860 000bbl/day by 2020.

An economical GTL process?

The Fischer Tropsch synthesis of motor fuel from natural gas on a large scale may become significant in the near future for economic and environmental reasons. This process requires solid-phase catalysts containing large amounts of cobalt (catalyst) and traces of platinum group metals or rhenium (promoter). The economic data presented in this paper shows why recycling of those metals will be mandatory. Several recycling processes will be presented along with their technical challenges, most of which can be handled by Umicore using its know how and experience in the recycling of cobalt and the precious metals.