The Infinity Reactor: A new conceptual design for a more cost-efficient CO2 to methanol route

Hilbert Keestra; Edwin Zondervan; Wim Brilman

doi:10.1016/B978-0-443-15274-0.50368-1

The Infinity Reactor: A new conceptual design for a more cost-efficient CO₂ to methanol route

Hilbert Keestra, Edwin Zondervan, Wim Brilman

Sustainable Process Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

With conventional methanol reactor designs for CO₂-based methanol synthesis, there is the risk of rapid catalyst deactivation with commercial Cu/ZnO/Al₂O₃ catalysts at high water partial pressures, related to the use of CO₂ as carbon feed. As catalyst reactivity and exothermicity are influenced by the switch to a CO₂-rich feed, also heat integration options are affected. A new reactor/process design, the Infinity Reactor, is proposed to both improve catalyst lifetime and reduce catalyst usage. The Infinity Reactor is a shell and tube type of reactor, with catalyst on both sides, utilising the difference in temperature between the inlet and outlet of the reactor to operate as a quasi-gas-cooled reactor. The gas loops over both sides of the reactor, with intermediate cooling and condensation. This modelling study shows around 35% savings in catalyst volume in comparison with adiabatic operation.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	33rd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering
Publisher	Elsevier
Pages	2309-2316
Number of pages	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-15274-0.50368-1
Publication status	Published - 18 Jul 2023
Event	33rd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering, ESCAPE 2023 - Athens, Greece Duration: 18 Jun 2023 → 21 Jun 2023 Conference number: 33

Publication series

Name	Computer Aided Chemical Engineering
Volume	52
ISSN (Print)	1570-7946

Conference

Conference	33rd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering, ESCAPE 2023
Abbreviated title	ESCAPE 2023
Country/Territory	Greece
City	Athens
Period	18/06/23 → 21/06/23

Keywords

CO
infinity
intensification
methanol
reactor
NLA

Access to Document

10.1016/B978-0-443-15274-0.50368-1

Cite this

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title = "The Infinity Reactor: A new conceptual design for a more cost-efficient CO2 to methanol route",

abstract = "With conventional methanol reactor designs for CO2-based methanol synthesis, there is the risk of rapid catalyst deactivation with commercial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts at high water partial pressures, related to the use of CO2 as carbon feed. As catalyst reactivity and exothermicity are influenced by the switch to a CO2-rich feed, also heat integration options are affected. A new reactor/process design, the Infinity Reactor, is proposed to both improve catalyst lifetime and reduce catalyst usage. The Infinity Reactor is a shell and tube type of reactor, with catalyst on both sides, utilising the difference in temperature between the inlet and outlet of the reactor to operate as a quasi-gas-cooled reactor. The gas loops over both sides of the reactor, with intermediate cooling and condensation. This modelling study shows around 35% savings in catalyst volume in comparison with adiabatic operation.",

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Keestra, H, Zondervan, E & Brilman, W 2023, The Infinity Reactor: A new conceptual design for a more cost-efficient CO₂ to methanol route. in 33rd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering, vol. 52, Elsevier, pp. 2309-2316, 33rd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering, ESCAPE 2023, Athens, Greece, 18/06/23. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-15274-0.50368-1

The Infinity Reactor: A new conceptual design for a more cost-efficient CO₂ to methanol route. / Keestra, Hilbert; Zondervan, Edwin ; Brilman, Wim.
33rd European Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering. Elsevier, 2023. p. 2309-2316 (Computer Aided Chemical Engineering; Vol. 52).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review

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