Breakthrough achieved in complete methanization of syngas; test unit with a capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per hour put into operation

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On October 30, Urumqi Petrochemical Company announced that the test unit for the complete methanization of syngas at a rate of 5,000 standard cubic meters per hour, which is under the company’s responsibility, has been successfully commissioned. 　 The complete methanization technology for syngas used in this device was developed by the PetroChina C1 Chemical Technology Center, enabling the complete conversion of syngas into methane under high temperature and pressure conditions. Tests have shown that the key indicators of the catalyst’s activity are better than expected: the conversion rate of carbon monoxide exceeds 99%, and the methane selectivity is over 94%. This demonstrates that CNPC has achieved breakthrough results in technologies and processes related to coal-to-natural gas production, as well as in catalyst preparation, particularly in the development of a complete set of technologies for the complete methanization of syngas at a capacity of 1 billion standard cubic meters per year. 　A relevant official from Wushihua Research Institute revealed that they began working on the development of catalysts for the complete methanation of syngas in 2009, and by February 2017 they had completed the development for industrial use of such catalysts as well as scale-up production at a tonnage level; the lifespan of these catalysts is over 2000 hours. In 2018, Wuhu Petrochemical Company built a new chemical side-line test unit for the complete methanation of syngas with a capacity of 5,000 standard cubic meters per hour, using the site of the previously shut-down propionaldehyde plant, and construction began officially in March of that year. 　 During the industrial scale-up tests, the R&D team at Wuhu Petrochemical overcame issues such as an unreasonable heat exchange design in the plant. By drawing on their practical experience, they promptly adjusted the process strategies and operational parameters, ultimately meeting the requirements specified in the test plan. This allowed them to complete the evaluation of catalyst activity as well as the optimization of process conditions. 　 It is understood that this technology can convert the abundant coal resources in Xinjiang into synthetic natural gas on-site, which is then transported to the central and eastern regions via China’s oil and gas pipeline network, thereby enabling the safe, clean, and efficient transportation of fossil fuels. 　 In recent years, China’s natural gas consumption has grown rapidly; however, the country faces a shortage of natural gas supply, making the development of coal-to-natural gas technology highly significant. Coal-to-natural gas production consists of two stages: coal gasification to produce syngas, and syngas methanation. Coal gasification technology is already well-developed, while syngas methanation represents the current challenge in the research and development of coal-to-natural gas processes. Abroad, only a few companies such as Lurgi, Topsoe, and British Gas possess relatively mature complete process technologies for the complete methanization of high-temperature, high-pressure syngas. Previously, the methanation technologies available in China were mainly atmospheric-pressure partial methanation technologies.