Several developments may stimulate massive new demand for methanol. Areas of promise are:
- Methanol-based fuel cell driven automobiles
- Monetization of stranded natural gas
- Power generation
- Direct transportation fuels
These issues are driving the development of mega-scale methanol production technologies and plants which will benefit from large economies of scale. Several major methanol technology developers are now offering new 5,000 metric tons per day (t/d) (versus the current 2,000 to 2,500 t/d world-scale capacity) single train methanol process technologies. Two technologies are highlighted in this report - Toyo Engineering Corporation (TEC) and Lurgi.TEC's 5,000 metric tons per day methanol process configuration consists of a combined reformer for synthesis gas generation, a TEC MRF-Z Reactor for single train methanol synthesis, and a methanol purification unit. The combined reforming integrates the steam reforming and the catalytic partial oxidation in order to further process the residual methane contained in the synthesis gas generated from the steam reforming for energy efficiency. The process also reduces the size of the steam reformer because the steam reformer may be operated with milder conditions than those of non-combined steam reformers as the equivalent load of reforming can be shifted to the catalytic partial oxidation operation. TEC's combined reforming process also configures a parallel installation of a Fired Heated Steam Reformer (FHR) and an ICI Synetix Advanced Gas Heated Reformer (AGHR) in order to improve the energy efficiency. The Lurgi Mega Methanol Process is based on catalytic pre-reforming and autothermal reforming with oxygen to produce synthesis gas sufficient for 5,000 metric tons per day of pure methanol in a single train. The methanol synthesis is based on Lurgi's Combined Converter Synthesis, which has been developed and patented to improve the overall economics of large methanol plants. In the first stage, the synthesis gas is partly converted to methanol in a conventional water-cooled Lurgi reactor. This reactor operates at very high yield and at higher than normal reaction temperature allowing higher pressure steam to be produced which improves the energy efficiency of the plant. In the second converter, the reaction rate is much lower and, consequently, so is the space time yield and the amount and grade of the reaction heat. The remaining reaction heat is used to preheat the feed gas to the first converter. The continuously reduced temperature in this reactor provides increasing thermodynamic equilibrium potential. Since the temperature difference between the reaction and the cooling gases is higher than in a conventional inlet/outlet heat exchanger, the required heat exchange surface is relatively small which allows a large catalyst volume at a moderate vessel size. As shown below, Chem Systems projects a significant cost of production advantage for these mega-scale methanol processes as compared to current world-scale sized plants. 
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