Process Analysis and Design Considerations of a Low Carbon Methanol Synthesis Plant from Lignite/Waste Gasification
This study presents design considerations and an evaluation of a full-scale process chain for methanol and advanced drop-in fuel production derived from lignite/solid recovered fuel (SRF) feedstock. The plant concept consists of a high-temperature Winkler (HTW) gasifier coupled with an air separatio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Fuels |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3994/3/2/16 |
| _version_ | 1797487306252222464 |
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| author | Georgios Zisopoulos Nikolaos Detsios Konstantinos Atsonios Nikos Nikolopoulos Panagiotis Grammelis |
| author_facet | Georgios Zisopoulos Nikolaos Detsios Konstantinos Atsonios Nikos Nikolopoulos Panagiotis Grammelis |
| author_sort | Georgios Zisopoulos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study presents design considerations and an evaluation of a full-scale process chain for methanol and advanced drop-in fuel production derived from lignite/solid recovered fuel (SRF) feedstock. The plant concept consists of a high-temperature Winkler (HTW) gasifier coupled with an air separation unit (ASU), which provides a high-purity (99.55%) gasification oxidant agent. The concept includes the commercially proven acid gas removal (AGR) system based on cold methanol (e.g., Rectisol<sup>®</sup> process) for the removal of BTX and naphthalene components. With the involvement of Rectisol<sup>®</sup>, an almost pure CO<sub>2</sub> off-gas stream is generated that can be further stored or utilized (CCS/CCU), and a smaller CO<sub>2</sub> stream containing H<sub>2</sub>S is recovered and subsequently driven to the sulfur recovery unit (e.g., Claus process). One of the potential uses of methanol is considered, and a methanol upgrading unit is implemented. The overall integrated process model was developed in the commercial software Aspen Plus<sup>TM</sup>. Simulations for different feedstock ratios were investigated, ensuring the concept’s adaptability in each case without major changes. A number of parametric studies were performed concerning (a) the oxygen purity and (b) the reformer type, and a comparison against alternative methanol production routes was conducted. Simulations show that the proposed system is able to retain the cold gas efficiency (CGE) in the range of 79–81.1% and the energetic fuel efficiency (EFE) at around 51%. An efficient conversion of approximately 99.5% of the carbon that enters the gasifiers is accomplished, with around 45% of carbon being captured in the form of pure CO<sub>2</sub>. Finally, the metrics of EFE and total C for the conversion of methanol to liquid fuels were 40.7% and 32%, respectively, revealing that the proposed pathway is an effective alternative for methanol valorization. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:45:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5b48385e0ec243798c74fe271082d5d4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-3994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:45:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fuels |
| spelling | doaj.art-5b48385e0ec243798c74fe271082d5d42023-11-23T16:43:14ZengMDPI AGFuels2673-39942022-05-013224527410.3390/fuels3020016Process Analysis and Design Considerations of a Low Carbon Methanol Synthesis Plant from Lignite/Waste GasificationGeorgios Zisopoulos0Nikolaos Detsios1Konstantinos Atsonios2Nikos Nikolopoulos3Panagiotis Grammelis4Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceChemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceChemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceChemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceChemical Process and Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, Thermi, 57001 Thessaloniki, GreeceThis study presents design considerations and an evaluation of a full-scale process chain for methanol and advanced drop-in fuel production derived from lignite/solid recovered fuel (SRF) feedstock. The plant concept consists of a high-temperature Winkler (HTW) gasifier coupled with an air separation unit (ASU), which provides a high-purity (99.55%) gasification oxidant agent. The concept includes the commercially proven acid gas removal (AGR) system based on cold methanol (e.g., Rectisol<sup>®</sup> process) for the removal of BTX and naphthalene components. With the involvement of Rectisol<sup>®</sup>, an almost pure CO<sub>2</sub> off-gas stream is generated that can be further stored or utilized (CCS/CCU), and a smaller CO<sub>2</sub> stream containing H<sub>2</sub>S is recovered and subsequently driven to the sulfur recovery unit (e.g., Claus process). One of the potential uses of methanol is considered, and a methanol upgrading unit is implemented. The overall integrated process model was developed in the commercial software Aspen Plus<sup>TM</sup>. Simulations for different feedstock ratios were investigated, ensuring the concept’s adaptability in each case without major changes. A number of parametric studies were performed concerning (a) the oxygen purity and (b) the reformer type, and a comparison against alternative methanol production routes was conducted. Simulations show that the proposed system is able to retain the cold gas efficiency (CGE) in the range of 79–81.1% and the energetic fuel efficiency (EFE) at around 51%. An efficient conversion of approximately 99.5% of the carbon that enters the gasifiers is accomplished, with around 45% of carbon being captured in the form of pure CO<sub>2</sub>. Finally, the metrics of EFE and total C for the conversion of methanol to liquid fuels were 40.7% and 32%, respectively, revealing that the proposed pathway is an effective alternative for methanol valorization.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3994/3/2/16lignite/SRF HTW gasificationASURectisol processmethanol synthesisMTO-MOGDAspen Plus |
| spellingShingle | Georgios Zisopoulos Nikolaos Detsios Konstantinos Atsonios Nikos Nikolopoulos Panagiotis Grammelis Process Analysis and Design Considerations of a Low Carbon Methanol Synthesis Plant from Lignite/Waste Gasification Fuels lignite/SRF HTW gasification ASU Rectisol process methanol synthesis MTO-MOGD Aspen Plus |
| title | Process Analysis and Design Considerations of a Low Carbon Methanol Synthesis Plant from Lignite/Waste Gasification |
| title_full | Process Analysis and Design Considerations of a Low Carbon Methanol Synthesis Plant from Lignite/Waste Gasification |
| title_fullStr | Process Analysis and Design Considerations of a Low Carbon Methanol Synthesis Plant from Lignite/Waste Gasification |
| title_full_unstemmed | Process Analysis and Design Considerations of a Low Carbon Methanol Synthesis Plant from Lignite/Waste Gasification |
| title_short | Process Analysis and Design Considerations of a Low Carbon Methanol Synthesis Plant from Lignite/Waste Gasification |
| title_sort | process analysis and design considerations of a low carbon methanol synthesis plant from lignite waste gasification |
| topic | lignite/SRF HTW gasification ASU Rectisol process methanol synthesis MTO-MOGD Aspen Plus |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3994/3/2/16 |
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