METHANOL SYNTHESIS, METHANOL DEHYDRATION AND METHYL CYCLOHEXANE DEHYDROGENATION IN A SINGLE THERMALLY DOUBLE COUPLED REACTOR

In this study, three reactions take place simultaneously in a single reactor; methanol synthesis and indirect DME synthesis used as exothermic sides and dehydrogenation of methyl cyclohexane is applied as endothermic side. Its novelty and motivation is to mix the energy efficient concept of coupling two exothermic with one endothermic reaction. A steady state and heterogeneous mathematical model of the thermally double coupled reactor is used to approximate the performance of the proposed reactor. The results show that in addition to reaching higher methanol productivity in the proposed configuration, DME, hydrogen and toluene, as three additional valuable products, are also produced in a favourable mode.

Keywords:

Methanol synthesis , Methanol dehydration , MCH dehydrogenation , Thermally double coupled reactor , Conventional reactor