A SIMULATION STUDY OF AN INDUSTRIAL METHANOL REACTOR BASED ON SIMPLIFIED STEADY-STATE MODEL

• Main Authors: S., Yusup, N., Phuong Anh, H., Zabiri
• Format: Citation Index Journal
• Published: arpapress 2010
• Subjects: TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://eprints.utp.edu.my/3727/1/IJRRAS_5_3_02.pdf; http://www.arpapress.com/ijrras/Volume5issue3.aspx; http://eprints.utp.edu.my/3727/

Methanol is recognized as a potential renewable energy source for its uses in gasoline blending and direct methanol fuel cells. This work aims to develop a simulation model that can adequately represent and industrial real-life methanol reactor from a petrochemical plant at steady-state conditions. The main purpose is to provide a tool for investigating the effects of inlet temperatures, coolant inlet temperatures and velocity on the reactor’s performance under steady-state conditions. From the results obtained, it is revealed that the simplified model is able to approximate the plant’s operating conditions with sufficient accuracy of less than 5% error. The validated model allows a better temperatures, feed superficial velocities and coolant inlet temperatures. T his model can serve as a base for future improvement studies on the said reactor.