I have a question regarding the methanol-to-hydrogen production process
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Hello, teachers! According to literature, the processes for producing hydrogen from methanol include: hydrogen production via methanol steam reforming, hydrogen production via methanol cracking, hydrogen production via partial oxidation of methanol, hydrogen production via methanol electrolysis, and hydrogen production via ultrasonic decomposition of methanol aqueous solutions. May I ask which of the above processes are most commonly used in industrial production, and what are their advantages? Our company plans to produce hydrogen using methanol, with a hydrogen output capacity of 30,000 Nm3/h. Which process would be the most suitable? Thank you!
Currently, the most common method for industrial hydrogen production is methanol steam reforming; it is also sometimes referred to as methanol pyrolysis for hydrogen production. The principle is the reverse reaction of methanol synthesis: first, CO and H2 are produced, and then water vapor reacts with CO in a shift reaction to produce CO2 and H2. A copper-zinc composite catalyst can catalyze both of these reactions simultaneously. Since you have a large scale, you can consider using natural gas to produce hydrogen; if the price of natural gas is high, then methanol can be used as an alternative for hydrogen production. The costs of methanol and natural gas should be evaluated, and then the appropriate process chosen.
Methanol cracking for hydrogen production + PSA hydrogen purification is the industrial process currently in use
Methanol steam reforming is a process that has been fully industrialized; a single reactor unit can now handle 20,000 Nm³ of gas flow, while for 30,000 Nm³, two reactor units of 15,000 Nm³ each can be considered. The partial oxidation process of methanol is more practical for small-scale plants, such as those with a capacity of 5–50 Nm³. Other processes are not suitable for industrialization. As Hero Hu on the 2nd floor has already said, from the perspective of operating costs, the natural gas process is less costly. Of course, the investment required for natural gas projects is higher, while the investment for the methanol process is relatively lower; however, its operating costs are higher. For a methanol project with a capacity of 30,000 units, it is necessary to consider the supply of methanol – at a consumption rate of 0.5 units per hour, 15 tons of methanol are required per hour.
It is recommended to consider hydrogen production via hydrocarbon steam cracking; the feedstock does not have to be methane, as other alkanes can also be used. The operating cost is lower than that of hydrogen production from methanol
Methanol steam reforming for hydrogen production is currently the most common method; its advantage is that both the engineering costs and operating expenses are relatively low, while its disadvantage is that it can only be used to produce hydrogen. If one wants to produce carbon monoxide as a by-product, it is most economical to use methanol pyrolysis to generate hydrogen and carbon monoxide. It mainly depends on your needs. For specific questions, please call 18635150081. I am from a company that produces hydrogen from methanol, and I can help you estimate the costs associated with project implementation and operational expenses. But if a formal design is needed, a fee will be charged, hehe.
The response from the second floor was very professional; the choice of specific solution requires taking into account the needs of one’s own company as well as the local conditions, such as the availability of methanol and natural gas, as well as whether there are other materials that can be used for hydrogen production.
For this purpose, you should definitely choose methanol steam reforming for hydrogen production; the additional value of the steam generated by this process is also quite significant
In the chemical and petrochemical industry, the methods used domestically are mainly hydrogen production from dry gas, hydrogen production from methanol (via methanol steam reforming), and hydrogen production from natural gas. The cost mainly depends on the price of raw materials. For hydrogen production using natural gas and dry gas, more than 2 cubic meters of hydrogen can be produced for every 1 cubic meter of raw material used; whereas in the case of hydrogen production from methanol, less than 2 cubic meters of hydrogen are produced per 1 kg of methanol used. Additionally, hydrogen production from methanol requires fuel as well. In terms of investment, the cost for producing hydrogen from methanol is relatively low. The choice of hydrogen production method can mainly be considered from the perspectives of investment and operating costs. I have been in the hydrogen production industry for over a decade; if you need detailed information on the technologies or industry trends in this field, feel free to add me on WeChat: 18321538455