Methyl formate from syngas

2.2 Production methods: Methyl formate is produced by the carbonylation of methanol / formic acid is obtained by the hydrolysis of methyl formate. Main reactions: CO + CH3OH → HCOOCH3 ⑴ HCOOCH3 + H2O → HCOOH + CH3OH ⑵ Theoretical material consumption per ton of product: CO: (1000/60) × 28 = 466.67 kg/t = 373.5 Nm3/t (100%); CH3OH: (1000/60) × 32 = 533.33 kg/t = 673.992 L/t (100%). Material consumption per hour: CO: 0.834 × 373.5 / 0.96 / 0.9 = 360 Nm3/h; CH3OH: 0.834 × 533.33 / 0.98 = 453.512 kg/h (including recycled methanol), with H2O content ≤ 0.05%. Brief description of the process for preparing and purifying methyl formate: Methanol, CO, and catalyst, all of which have passed quality checks, are mixed in specific proportions and fed into the methyl formate reactor in precise quantities. The synthesis of MF takes place at temperatures ranging from 55°C to 125°C and under pressures ranging from 1.7 MPa to 3.2 MPa ； The crude MF product in the reaction mixture (containing 18%–25% MF) is obtained from the top of the tower through an MF reactive distillation process, resulting in a product with 82% MF and 18% methanol. After entering the distillation separation system, the MF product is separated at the top of the distillation tower; it is then cooled before being stored in a product tank (protected by nitrogen filling or a constant temperature and pressure environment) ； The methanol that enters the separation tower along with the MF crude product is extracted as a gas from the bottom side line (with a water content of ≤0.1%), and after cooling and collection, it is returned to the MF reactor ； Reconstituted components such as water are regularly discharged from the bottom of the tower; after methanol is recovered from them, the remaining liquid is mixed with catalyst sludge and incorporated into fuel coal for incineration. In the reactor, since a small amount of inert gas is present in the CO gas entering the reactor and this amount continues to accumulate over time after certain reactions take place (taking into account measures for the recycling of CO), it is necessary to recover the small amount of MF contained in the gas to be discharged before releasing it.

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The technology for producing methyl formate and formic acid from coal was previously monopolized by foreign companies. In recent years, based on foreign technologies, we have successively built industrial plants for the production of formic acid via carbonylation processes with a capacity of 100,000 tons each; these plants have been operating stably for many years now, and both the quality of the products and the technical standards reached international levels.