Method and apparatus for synthesizing compounds by a low temperature plasma dual-electric field aided gas phase reaction are provided. The method utilizes two different electrode corona discharge fields in a plasma aided reactor to form a plasma dual-electric field, using electric energy to convert gas into gas molecules, atoms, ions and/or free radicals, and then reforming and reducing to obtain organic compounds such as aliphatic hydrocarbons, higher carbon ethers, higher carbon alcohols, higher carbon esters, lower carbon alcohols, and the like; also inorganic compounds such as N.sub.2, O.sub.2, H.sub.2SO.sub.4, NH.sub.3, and the like. The apparatus includes a reactor having a plasma region of two different corona discharge fields, wherein an alternating current corona discharge field or a positive corona discharge field is set in the first electric field, and a negative corona discharge field is set in the second electric field.

Method and apparatus for synthesizing compounds by a low temperature plasma dual-electric field aided gas phase reaction are provided. The method utilizes two different electrode corona discharge fields in a plasma aided reactor to form a plasma dual-electric field, using electric energy to convert gas into gas molecules, atoms, ions and/or free radicals, and then reforming and reducing to obtain organic compounds such as aliphatic hydrocarbons, higher carbon ethers, higher carbon alcohols, higher carbon esters, lower carbon alcohols, and the like; also inorganic compounds such as N.sub.2, O.sub.2, H.sub.2SO.sub.4, NH.sub.3, and the like. The apparatus includes a reactor having a plasma region of two different corona discharge fields, wherein an alternating current corona discharge field or a positive corona discharge field is set in the first electric field, and a negative corona discharge field is set in the second electric field.

A reactor layout for a process of methanol production from low quality synthesis gas, in which relatively smaller adiabatic reactors can be operated more efficiently, some of the inherent disadvantages of adiabatic reactors for methanol production are avoided. This is done by controlling the outlet temperature in the pre-converter by rapid adjustment of the recycle gas, i.e. by manipulating the gas hourly space velocity in the pre-converter.

A reactor layout for a process of methanol production from low quality synthesis gas, in which relatively smaller adiabatic reactors can be operated more efficiently, some of the inherent disadvantages of adiabatic reactors for methanol production are avoided. This is done by controlling the outlet temperature in the pre-converter by rapid adjustment of the recycle gas, i.e. by manipulating the gas hourly space velocity in the pre-converter.

Some embodiments include a mixture for use as liquid sorbent for methanol or methanol and water in methanol synthesis using carbon monoxide and hydrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide as synthesis reactants. The mixture comprises I) a component A) in the form of at least one salt and at least one component B) selected from the group consisting of: B1) a salt of an anion and one, two, or three of the cations of salt A), wherein the number of cations corresponds to an absolute value of a charge number of the respective anion; B2) a salt comprising one or more bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions and another component, wherein a number of bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions corresponds to an absolute value of a charge number of the respective metal cation; and B3) a zwitterionic compound.

Some embodiments include a mixture for use as liquid sorbent for methanol or methanol and water in methanol synthesis using carbon monoxide and hydrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen or a mixture of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide as synthesis reactants. The mixture comprises I) a component A) in the form of at least one salt and at least one component B) selected from the group consisting of: B1) a salt of an anion and one, two, or three of the cations of salt A), wherein the number of cations corresponds to an absolute value of a charge number of the respective anion; B2) a salt comprising one or more bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions and another component, wherein a number of bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide anions corresponds to an absolute value of a charge number of the respective metal cation; and B3) a zwitterionic compound.

A method for operating a reactor facility for equilibrium-limited reactions, includes: converting starting materials to a product in a reaction chamber under a pressure p1, wherein an absorbent is loaded with the product and absorbs starting materials; discharging the loaded absorbent from the reaction chamber; lowering the pressure of the absorbent to a pressure p2 which is lower than pressure p1 and the product and starting materials are discharged in the gaseous state from the liquid absorbent; separating the gaseous products by condensation from the gaseous starting materials at the same time as a pressure p3 higher than pressure p1 is applied to the liquid absorbent, under pressure p3 into a liquid jet gas compressor in which the gaseous starting materials separated from the products are aspirated and dissolved in the liquid absorbent; and then introduced under pressure p4, which is lower than pressure p3, into the reaction chamber.

A method for operating a reactor facility for equilibrium-limited reactions, includes: converting starting materials to a product in a reaction chamber under a pressure p1, wherein an absorbent is loaded with the product and absorbs starting materials; discharging the loaded absorbent from the reaction chamber; lowering the pressure of the absorbent to a pressure p2 which is lower than pressure p1 and the product and starting materials are discharged in the gaseous state from the liquid absorbent; separating the gaseous products by condensation from the gaseous starting materials at the same time as a pressure p3 higher than pressure p1 is applied to the liquid absorbent, under pressure p3 into a liquid jet gas compressor in which the gaseous starting materials separated from the products are aspirated and dissolved in the liquid absorbent; and then introduced under pressure p4, which is lower than pressure p3, into the reaction chamber.

The present invention provides an improved process for removing heat from an exothermic reaction. In particular, the present invention provides a process wherein heat can be removed from multiple reaction trains using a common coolant system.

A process for producing methane or methanol includes combining a hydrogenation catalyst, hydrogen, and CO.sub.2 with a condensed phase solution comprising an amine under conditions effective to form methane or methanol, and water. A process for coproduction of methanol and a glycol includes combining an epoxide, a hydrogenation catalyst, hydrogen, and CO.sub.2 with a condensed phase solution comprising an amine under conditions effective to form methanol and a glycol.