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How is the scale for producing hydroxymethanol determined? The determination of this scale relies on the alcohol-to-ammonia ratio that is commonly used in the industry (actually, it’s the ratio of alcohol to total ammonia). The most economical scale for hydroxymethanol production is one in which the remaining CO from the conversion process is used to synthesize methanol as a by-product, without increasing the carbon removal capacity or reducing urea production; at such a ratio of 10–20%, the economic efficiency of ammonia synthesis is optimal. However, this ratio does not allow for a large-scale production operation, and it cannot withstand market fluctuations. When the profit margins from methanol production are high, while those from fertilizer production are low, it becomes impossible to increase methanol output. Therefore, when considering the scale for hydroxymethanol production, it is also necessary to take into account the market prospects for methanol. On the other hand, an excessively high alcohol-to-ammonia ratio increases the coal consumption required for gas production, as well as the energy costs associated with carbon removal and the methanol synthesis process, thereby raising costs and affecting the overall economic efficiency of ammonia synthesis. When the overall scale of ammonia synthesis plants is small, an alcohol-to-ammonia ratio of 40-50% is generally taken into account when determining the scale; whereas when the scale is large, this ratio should not exceed 40%. For new plants, the return on investment is also taken into consideration; if the alcohol-to-ammonia ratio is too high, it is better to adopt the hydrazine process, that is, the simultaneous production of ammonia from single alcohols.