High-efficiency methanol separator for ammonia synthesis and methanol production developed successfully

Thread Content

Shanxi Yongji Zhongnong Chemical Co., Ltd. applied for the first time the patented technology \"Composite High-Efficiency Foam Collector\" developed by Beijing Boxue Huitong Technology Co., Ltd. to the methanol production process, **improving the separation efficiency of crude methanol and completely resolving issues such as liquid carryover in the methanol circulation pump, high electricity consumption in the synthesis system, and oil-water contamination in the methanol oil-water separator. “The scientific and technological achievement of the “Composite High-Efficiency Methanol Separator” has passed the appraisal organized by the China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Association. 　　Experts believe that this technology is innovative and represents an advanced level among similar products worldwide. The composite high-efficiency methanol separator features large processing capacity, low resistance, and high separation efficiency, and it achieves significant results in energy savings, consumption reduction, and environmental pollution mitigation. 　　China currently has over 300 methanol production units and more than 1,500 methanol separators; if two-thirds of these methanol production enterprises were to adopt this technology, it could save around 1 billion kWh of electricity per year. Currently, only 25 composite methanol separators are in operation in the country, making it particularly urgent to promote their use. 　　It is understood that the separation efficiency of the aerosol separator has a significant impact on the economic viability of ammonia and methanol production. Currently, common devices used for separating mist from gases include spiral plate separators, mesh separators, combined separators, and packed separators. When handling large volumes of gas, these separators have drawbacks such as high resistance, large size, and low separation efficiency; even when using technologies from some well-known foreign manufacturers, the separation efficiency of purified gas at low temperatures is not satisfactory ； In production, the separation efficiency often declines due to unreasonable design and changes in load; especially when the gas velocity is too high, the problem of secondary entrainment in the methanol separator becomes increasingly severe, significantly affecting the normal operation of both the ammonia synthesis system and the methanol distillation system. 　　The composite separator, successfully applied for the first time in a 100,000 tons/year ammonia synthesis plant with 30,000 tons/year methanol co-production, has solved the aforementioned problems. This technology can be widely applied to desulfurization and decarburization in the gas-liquid separation processes of ammonia and methanol production, as well as in the purification processes; to gas-liquid separation after carbon absorption towers; to gas-water separation, ammonia separation, and methanol separation after saturated hot water towers; to oil-water separation at the outlet of compressors (circulators) equipped with oil lubrication; and to mist separation in the absorption towers used in low-temperature methanol washing, carbon dioxide regeneration towers, and hydrogen sulfide concentration towers.