The present disclosure relates to chemical synthesis. Various embodiments of the teachings thereof may include the synthesis of methanol, generated from hydrogen and a carbonaceous gas. For example, a method may include: compressing gaseous starting materials to an operating pressure of at least 200 bar; supplying the starting materials to a synthesis reactor; removing a product mixture from the synthesis reactor in a liquid state; withdrawing mechanical energy from the product mixture by reducing a pressure of the product mixture; and using the mechanical energy to compress the gaseous starting materials.

A process for preparing methanol by a methanol synthesis reaction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen may involve a distillation step and a condensation step following the synthesis of a crude methanol. A volatile component and water may be separated off from a methanol-containing product stream, and a gas stream containing a volatile component that has been separated off may be discharged at least partially as offgas. At least part of the gas stream that has been separated off may be recirculated into the methanol synthesis reaction. A plant for preparing methanol can store or utilize electric power generated from renewable energy sources and provide facilities for discharging the offgas stream, which can be purified by catalytic after-combustion. Alternatively, the plant can be configured without discharge of an offgas substream, or the offgas streams are so small that they can be released without treatment into the environment at a suitable position.

A method for producing methanol allows the temperature of the catalyst layer to fall within an appropriate temperature range, reduces energy used, and achieves higher carbon yield. In a synthesis loop including at least two synthesis steps and two separation steps, a first mixed gas is obtained by mixing the final unreacted gas with a fraction of the make-up gas, methanol is synthesized from the first mixed gas after preheating, a first unreacted gas is separated from the obtained first reaction mixture, a final mixed gas is obtained by finally mixing the unreacted gas and a fraction of the make-up gas, the final mixed gas after preheating is further increased in pressure and then methanol is synthesized, a final unreacted gas is separated from the obtained final reaction mixture, and the reaction temperature of the catalyst layer is controlled by the indirect heat exchange with pressurized boiling water.

A process for preparing methanol by a methanol synthesis reaction of carbon dioxide with hydrogen may involve a distillation step and a condensation step following the synthesis of a crude methanol. A volatile component and water may be separated off from a methanol-containing product stream, and a gas stream containing a volatile component that has been separated off may be discharged at least partially as offgas. At least part of the gas stream that has been separated off may be recirculated into the methanol synthesis reaction. A plant for preparing methanol can store or utilize electric power generated from renewable energy sources and provide facilities for discharging the offgas stream, which can be purified by catalytic after-combustion. Alternatively, the plant can be configured without discharge of an offgas substream, or the offgas streams are so small that they can be released without treatment into the environment at a suitable position.

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.

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.

The invention relates to a process for producing methanol in which at least a portion of the obtained liquid raw methanol stream is decompressed to a decompression pressure in a liquid decompression apparatus, wherein the decompression pressure is lower than the synthesis pressure and wherein the liquid decompression apparatus does mechanical work. At least a portion of the mechanical work done by the liquid decompression apparatus is utilized to drive the synthesis gas compression apparatus required for compressing the synthesis gas to synthesis pressure. The utilization may be carried out indirectly, through generation of electrical energy, or directly through direct utilization of the mechanical work.

Utilizing the common knowledge formula for creation of methanol CO.sub.2+3H.sub.2.fwdarw.CH.sub.3OH+H.sub.2O; for each mole of carbon dioxide, three moles of hydrogen are needed to produce one equivalent unit of methanol. Therefore, it is possible to produce over one-half gallon of methanol from one kilogram of carbon dioxide.

Combining the two gases and producing methanol can be accomplished under high pressure (about 3250 psi) and high temperature (750-degree Fahrenheit heat) without the presence of a catalyst. Throughout this process, auto-ignition for methanol is 867-degree Fahrenheit (or 464 C.) and auto-ignition for hydrogen is 932-degree Fahrenheit (or 500 C.). After mixing two gases in the mixing chamber, the result is methanol and water. The first step in this stage is to cool the substance by way of cooling tower and pressure lowering tank. Next is a separation process to separate methanol and water. By cooling the substance\mixture about 28.4-degree Fahrenheit (2 Celsius), the water will freeze, turning in to an ice and ice will be removed from methanol mechanically. Water and methanol then will be stored in appropriate tanks.

Utilizing the common knowledge formula for creation of methanol CO.sub.2+3H.sub.2.fwdarw.CH.sub.3OH+H.sub.2O; for each mole of carbon dioxide, three moles of hydrogen are needed to produce one equivalent unit of methanol. Therefore, it is possible to produce over one-half gallon of methanol from one kilogram of carbon dioxide.

Combining the two gases and producing methanol can be accomplished under high pressure (about 3250 psi) and high temperature (750-degree Fahrenheit heat) without the presence of a catalyst. Throughout this process, auto-ignition for methanol is 867-degree Fahrenheit (or 464 C.) and auto-ignition for hydrogen is 932-degree Fahrenheit (or 500 C.). After mixing two gases in the mixing chamber, the result is methanol and water. The first step in this stage is to cool the substance by way of cooling tower and pressure lowering tank. Next is a separation process to separate methanol and water. By cooling the substance\mixture about 28.4-degree Fahrenheit (2 Celsius), the water will freeze, turning in to an ice and ice will be removed from methanol mechanically. Water and methanol then will be stored in appropriate tanks.