DESIGN OF AN INDUSTRIAL PLANT FOR THE PRODUCTION OF METHANOL IN KAZAKHSTAN
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Date
2024-05-02
Authors
Zhumadil, Alnur
Nurpeissova, Aigerim
Ibrayeva, Zhanerke
Tassybay, Kazna
Zhalgas, Nuray
Tleubek, Aruzhan
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Nazarbayev University School of Engineering and Digital Sciences
Abstract
This project is dedicated to the design of an industrial plant of methanol from syngas in Kazakhstan in 2027. The projected production rate of Grade AA methanol was calculated to be 200 kT/year. The location and layout of the industrial plant were determined based on the availability of raw materials, potential customers, labor, and transport facilities. The location of the chemical plant was chosen to be in the Atyrau region, a special economic zone “National Industrial Petrochemical Technopark”. For thorough analysis, Aspen PLUS software was utilized to simulate the production process.
For this project, the Lurgi methanol production process was selected. According to the process flow, the syngas is pretreated to achieve the required composition of 2% CO2, 28.27% CO, 66.96% H2, 0.79% H2O, and 1.98% N2 on a molar basis. Prior to entering the reactor, the syngas is compressed from 1 bar to 75 bar in a multistage compressor system with intercoolers. The methanol synthesis occurs in a fixed-bed multi-tubular reactor with heat exchange, using boiling feed water as a coolant. The catalyst employed is Katalco 51-102 (Cu/ZnO/Al2O3) with a composition of 62/32/6 by Johnson Matthey. After leaving the reactor, the product enters the system of heat exchangers to reduce the temperature 25℃. The mixture is then fed to the high-pressure flash tank, where the unconverted gasses and crude methanol are flashed before being distilled. Finally, the distillation system purifies the methanol to achieve the content of 99.85% (Grade AA).
According to the NFPA 704 (National Fire Prevention Association) standard hazard rating system, the chemicals involved in the process exhibit high flammability, posing a potential fire hazard, while showing stability with no reactivity concerns under standard conditions. The daily carbon dioxide gas emissions may reach about 120,000 kilograms, which is caused by the combustion of methanol and carbon monoxide in a flare.
Regarding the project cost, the fixed capital investment for the plant, considering equipment costs, installation, and location factors resulted in $130 million. Annual utility costs, including natural gas, cooling water, steam, and wastewater treatment, amounted to approximately $0.22 million. Furthermore, consumable costs, primarily attributed to the catalyst, were estimated at $0.3 million per year. Labor costs, which include the number of operators and engineers required per shift, were calculated to be $1 million annually. Annual sales revenue from methanol production was projected at $118 million, respectively.
Return on investment (ROI), net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR) were assessed at 21.1%, $59.2 million, and 24.6%, respectively, over a 15-year period. The payback period for the project was calculated at 6 years, indicating a relatively quick return on investment. The economic analysis demonstrates that the project is financially viable. Despite the substantial initial investment, the projected returns, along with favorable financial metrics, suggest a promising opportunity for investors.
The future improvements include optimization of the process by improving the energy consumption, environmental considerations, and on-site production of syngas. The process design can be enhanced by setting minimum energy requirement (MER) targets, resulting in reduced exhaust steam emissions and lower utility consumption. This, in turn, will lead to decreased operating costs. Given the significant carbon dioxide emissions from the plant, it is imperative to implement carbon capture technology. Producing syngas through steam reforming on-site will reduce transportation costs associated with procuring materials from external suppliers, leading to significant cost savings and tighter integration and optimization of the production process.
Description
Keywords
Type of access: Restricted, Methanol production from syngas, Methanol production in Kazakhstan, Lurgi methanol production, Design of an industrial plant
Citation
Nurpeissova, A., Tleubek, A., Zhumadil, A., Zhalgas, N., Tassybay, K., Ibrayeva, Z. (2024). “Design of an industrial plant for the production of methanol in Kazakhstan,”. Nazarbayev University School of Engineering and Digital Sciences