The methanol synthesis reactor for China Coal Hubei Energy Chemicals’ 100,000 tons per year project for producing methanol from liquid sunlight, carbon dioxide, and green hydrogen has successfully passed the acceptance inspection

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On November 7, the methanol synthesis reactor for China Coal Ordos Energy Chemical Co., Ltd.’s 100,000 tons per year project for producing methanol from liquid sunlight, carbon dioxide, and green hydrogen – a project developed by Lanxi Heavy Equipment in collaboration with the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Coal Ordos Energy Chemical Co., Ltd., and Hualu Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. – successfully passed the acceptance tests and is ready for shipment. Producing hydrogen from renewable energy sources and converting carbon dioxide into green methanol through hydrogenation is vividly referred to as \"liquid sunlight\". This project is the first industrial demonstration project in China that utilizes 100% domestically developed intellectual property for the entire process of converting carbon dioxide and green hydrogen into methanol through the \"liquid sunlight\" method. The key equipment of the project is the methanol synthesis reactor, which, by integrating advanced catalytic technologies and process design, enables a chemical reaction between green hydrogen and purified carbon dioxide within the reactor to produce methanol. Lanshi Heavy Equipment, in collaboration with the team led by Academician Li Can from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, China National Coal Group Enerchemical Co., Ltd., and Hualu Engineering Company, has carried out continuous research and development efforts to create a new type of reactor for producing methanol from carbon dioxide and green gas. This reactor achieves a carbon dioxide conversion rate of over 98.5% and a methanol selectivity of over 99.5%, bringing its performance to international leading levels. During the development process, the project team carried out a series of technical efforts to ensure the high-quality manufacturing of the equipment. To address the problem of welding deformation in large-diameter tube sheets, innovative welding methods were developed and the manufacturing process for tube sheet assemblies was optimized, enabling high-precision assembly of the tube bundle and the shell while ensuring that the welds on both sides of the tube sheets meet the required quality standards. By addressing both the material and process aspects, the surfacing welding technique using nickel-based materials on the tube sheet surface as well as the tube end welding technology are perfected, ensuring the safe, stable, and efficient operation of the equipment in industrial systems. The successful development of the methanol synthesis reactor marks a significant milestone in the industrialization of China’s technology for producing methanol from carbon dioxide and green hydrogen. It establishes a comprehensive green development model that encompasses \"green electricity – green hydrogen – green alcohol,\" promotes the sustainable utilization of carbon dioxide, and offers a new solution for global carbon reduction and the development of green chemistry. This advancement helps China take the lead in terms of technology in the fields of green chemistry and carbon neutrality goals.