Author: Zhao Ming, Science and Equipment Department of China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation Source: Modern Coal Chemical Industry
On November 7, 2018, the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation organized relevant experts to hold a scientific and technological achievement appraisal meeting in Beijing for the "High-pressure Controllable Heat Transfer Methanation Technology" jointly developed by Qingdao Lianxin Catalytic Materials Co., Ltd., Hebi Baofa Energy Technology Co., Ltd., China University of Petroleum (Beijing) and Hangzhou Linda Chemical Technology Engineering Co., Ltd.
The nine experts of the appraisal committee headed by Academician Jin Yong of Tsinghua University believe that the technology has the following innovations:
First, the new composite material and special catalyst preparation method are used to develop the QJWH-01 new methanation catalyst with high macropore fraction. It has withstood the test of pressure, temperature and other operating conditions fluctuations and multiple start-up and shutdown, and has the characteristics of good low-temperature activity, good selectivity, good anti-carbon performance, and high activity stability.
Second, a high-pressure controllable heat transfer methanation process has been developed, which has been used for hydrogen-rich feed gas with a CO+CO2 content of no more than 15%. The raw gas of this process passes through the methanation reactor once, there is no circulating gas compressor, and no steam needs to be added during the process. It has the advantages of less equipment, low energy consumption, simple process, and low investment.
Third, a new methanation reactor matching the above process has been developed, which adopts wound tube heat exchange internal components, has strong heat transfer capacity, and meets the requirements of strong exothermic conditions of methanation. The appraisal committee unanimously agreed that the technology has reached the international advanced level as a whole.
Using this technology, a methanation industrial demonstration device with a maximum methanol tail gas treatment capacity of 4000Nm3/h was built at Hebi Baofa Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (Figure-2). The device was completed on November 20, 2017 and successfully started up once.
From October 28 to 31, 2018, the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation organized an on-site assessment expert group to conduct a 72-hour continuous operation assessment on the high-pressure controllable heat transfer methanation industrial demonstration device at Hebi Baofa Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (Figure-3). The on-site assessment results showed that the CO conversion rate was 99.99% and the CO2 conversion rate was 96.85%, reaching the design indicators.
Recently, as some parts of my country have strengthened the governance of improving haze weather and improving urban air quality, the demand for clean energy natural gas has grown rapidly.
At present, my country's natural gas industry is in its early stages of development, and the current supply capacity is far from meeting the huge market demand. It is urgent to develop diversified supply channels. The methanol, coke oven gas and synthetic ammonia industries are relatively mature, and the trend of overcapacity is becoming increasingly significant. The use of idle capacity or exhaust gas to produce natural gas can not only digest excess capacity, but also reduce exhaust gas emissions. At the same time, it increases the supply of natural gas, which brings about the improvement of the economic benefits of industry enterprises, and has a multi-pronged effect.
In addition to using methanol purge gas to produce natural gas, this technology can also use coke oven gas, low-temperature coal pyrolysis gas, etc. to produce natural gas, which will provide a new technical route for the diversified supply of natural gas.
(Source: Zhao Ming, Science and Technology and Equipment Department of China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation)
