Conceptualization and process simulation of a CO2 based methanol production plant: Original scientific paper

Saman  Khawaja; Muhammad Rashid  Usman; Rabya  Aslam

doi:10.2298/CICEQ230817003K

PDF (803 kB)

Published: Feb 19, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2298/CICEQ230817003K

Keywords:

CO2 capture, CO2 utilization, мethanol economy, CO2 hydrogenation, CuO/ZnO/ZrO2 catalyst

Saman Khawaja

Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, New campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan and School of Chemical Engineering, Minhaj University Lahore, Civic Center, Twp, Lahore 54770, Pakistan

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2231-5647

Muhammad Rashid Usman

Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, New campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan and Engineering Research Centre, University of the Punjab, New campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4584-0842

Rabya Aslam

Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of the Punjab, New campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6505-6687

Abstract

The present study conceptualizes and simulates a methanol production process through the direct hydrogenation of captured CO₂. CuO/ZnO/ZrO₂ was employed as the catalyst and Aspen HYSYS was used for the process simulation. Configurational optimization of the process flowsheet was carried out using a step-by-step hierarchical approach. Many alternate flowsheets were resulted, and their capital investment, product cost, and profitability measures were calculated. The discrimination among the competing flowsheets was carried out on the basis of net profit and percent return on investment. The retained flowsheet was further analyzed for optimizing the recycle ratio and evaluating the effect of the price of captured CO₂, green H₂, natural gas (fuel), and catalyst on the economic performance of the plant. The optimum value of the recycle ratio was computed to be 4.23. Additionally, it was found that the price of H₂ is the most important parameter in defining the feasibility and profitability of the process. Mathematical correlations were also developed that relate profitability and price of the above-mentioned feed materials.

How to Cite

Khawaja, S. ., Usman, M. R. ., & Aslam, R. . (2024). Conceptualization and process simulation of a CO2 based methanol production plant: Original scientific paper. Chemical Industry & Chemical Engineering Quarterly. https://doi.org/10.2298/CICEQ230817003K

Issue

Articles in Press

Section

Articles

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors grant to the Publisher the following rights to the manuscript, including any supplemental material, and any parts, extracts or elements thereof:

the right to reproduce and distribute the Manuscript in printed form, including print-on-demand;
the right to produce prepublications, reprints, and special editions of the Manuscript;
the right to translate the Manuscript into other languages;
the right to reproduce the Manuscript using photomechanical or similar means including, but not limited to photocopy, and the right to distribute these reproductions;
the right to reproduce and distribute the Manuscript electronically or optically on any and all data carriers or storage media – especially in machine readable/digitalized form on data carriers such as hard drive, CD-Rom, DVD, Blu-ray Disc (BD), Mini-Disk, data tape – and the right to reproduce and distribute the Article via these data carriers;
the right to store the Manuscript in databases, including online databases, and the right of transmission of the Manuscript in all technical systems and modes;
the right to make the Manuscript available to the public or to closed user groups on individual demand, for use on monitors or other readers (including e-books), and in printable form for the user, either via the internet, other online services, or via internal or external networks.

References

BP, bp Statistical Review of World Energy 2022, seventy first ed., 2022. https://www.bp.com/en/global/corporate/energy-economics/statistical-review-of-world-energy.html

Z. Liu, Z. Deng, S.J. Davis, C. Giron, P. Ciais, Nat. Rev. Earth Environ. 3 (2022) 217–219. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-022-00285-w.

Y. Gao, X. Gao, X., Zhang, Engineering 3 (2017) 272‒278.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/J.ENG.2017.01.022.

G.A. Olah, Angew. Chem. Int. 44 (2005) 2636–2639. https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.200462121.

U.J. Etim, Y. Song, Z. Zhong, Front. Energy Res. (2020) 545431. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2020.545431.

M. Behrens, F. Studt, I. Kasatkin, S. Kühl, M. Hävecker, F. Abil-Pedersen et al., Science 336 (2012) 893–897. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1219831.

K. Stangeland, H. Li, Z. Yu, Energy, Ecol. Environ 5 (2020) 272–285.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-020-00156-4.

D.S. Marlin, E. Sarron, Ö. Sigurbjörnsson, Front. Chem. 6 (2018) 446. https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2018.00446.

M. Bukhtiyarova, T. Lunkenbein, K. Kähler, R. Schlögl, Catal. Lett. 147 (2017) 416‒427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10562-016-1960-x.

E.S. Van-Dal, C. Bouallou, J. Clean. Prod. 57 (2013) 38–45.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.06.008.

M. Matzen, M. Alhajji, Y. Demirel, Energy 93 (2015) 343–353.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2015.09.043.

M. Pérez-Fortes, J.C. Schöneberger, A. Boulamanti, E. Tzimas, Appl. Energy 161 (2016) 718‒732. https://doi.org/10.2790/89238.

I.L. Wiesberg, J.L. de Medeiros, R.M.B. Alves, P.L.A. Coutinho, O.Q.F. Araújo, Energy Convers. Manage. 125 (2016) 320–335. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2016.04.041.

P. Borisut, A. Nuchitprasittichai, Front. Energy Res. 7 (2019) 81. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2019.00081.

A.A. Kiss, J.J. Pragt, H.J. Vos, G. Bargeman, M.T. de Groot, Chem. Eng. J. 284 (2016) 260‒269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2015.08.101.

K. Roh, R. Frauzem, R. Gani, J.H. Lee, Chem. Eng. Res. Des. 116 (2016) 27‒47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2016.10.007.

M. Martín, I.E. Grossmann, Comput. Chem. Eng. 105 (2017) 308‒316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2016.11.030.

S. Alsayegh, J.R. Johnson, B. Ohs, M. Wessling, J. Clean. Prod. 208 (2018) 1446‒1458. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.132.

S. Szima, C.C. Cormos, J. CO2 Utilization 24 (2018) 555–563. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2018.02.007.

N. Meunier, R. Chauvy, S. Mouhoubi, D. Thomas, G. De Weireld, Renewable Energy 146 (2020) 1192–1203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.07.010.

T.B.H. Nguyen, E. Zondervan, J. CO2 Util. 34 (2019) 1–11.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcou.2019.05.033.

H.W. Lee, K. Kyeongsu, J. An, J. Na, H. Kim, H. Lee, et al., Eneregy Res. 44 (2020) 8781–8798. https://doi.org/10.1002/er.5573.

B.L.de O. Campos, K. John, P. Beeskow, K.H. Herrera Delgado, S. Pitter, N. Dahmen, et al., Processes 10 (2022) 1535. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr10081535.

T. Cordero-Lanzac, A. Ramirez, A. Navajas, L. Gevers, S. Brunialti, L.M. Gandía, et al. J. Energy Chem. 68 (2022) 255–266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2021.09.045.

M. Yousaf, A. Mahmood, A. Elkamel, M. Rizwan, M. Zaman, Int. J. Greenhouse Gas Control 115 (2022) 103615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2022.103615.

F. Haghighatjoo, M.R. Rahimpour, M. Farsi, Chem. Eng. Process. 184 (2023) 109264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cep.2023.109264.

H-H. Chiou, C-J. Lee, B-S. Wen, J-X. Lin, C-L Chen, B-Y Yu, Fuel 343 (2023) 127856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2023.127856.

J.M. Douglas, Conceptual Design of Chemical Processes, McGraw-Hill, New York (1988). ISBN-13: 978-0071001953.

Mitsubishi Power, Gas Turbine Combined Cycle (GTCC) Power Plants.

https://power.mhi.com/products/gtcc [accessed 01 August 2023].

M.A. Sheikh, Renewable Sustainable Energy Rev. 13 (2009) 2696–2702.

http://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2009.06.029.

W.A. Poe, S. Mokhatab, Modeling, Control, and Optimization of Natural Gas Processing Plants, Gulf Professional Pub., New York (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/C2014-0-03765-3.

S.O. Akpasi, Y.M. Isa, Atmosphere 13 (2022) 1958. https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos13121958.

S.S. Kumar, V. Himabindu, Mater. Sci. Energy. Technol. 2 (2019) 442‒454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mset.2019.03.002.

S. Lipiäinen, K. Lipiäinen, A. Ahola A., E. Vakkilainen, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy (2023). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2023.04.283.

G. Leonzio, E. Zondervan, P.U. Foscolo, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 44 (2019) 7915‒7933. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.02.056.

J. Zhang, Z. Li, Z. Zhang, R. Liu, B. Chu, B. Yan, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 8 (2020) 49. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c06336.

M.R. Usman, Z. Shahid, M.S. Akram, R. Aslam, Int. J. Thermophys. (2020) 41:44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-020-2622-1.

F. Arena, G. Mezzatesta, G. Zafarana, G. Trunfio, F. Frusteri, L. Spadaro, J. Catal. 30 (2013) 141−151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2012.12.019.

C. Yang, Z. Ma, N. Zhao, W. Wei, T. Hu, Y. Sun, Catal. Today 115 (2006) 222‒227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cattod.2006.02.077.

M.S. Peters, K.D. Timmerhaus, R.E. West, Plant Design and Economics for Chemical Engineers, fifth ed., McGraw-Hill, New York (2003). ISBN-13:‎ 978-0071240444.

W.D. Seider, D.R. Lewin, J.D. Seader, S. Widagdo, R. Gani, K.M. NG, Product and Process Design Principles: Synthesis, Analysis, and Evaluation, fourth ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (2017). ISBN: 978-1119282631.

Y. Feng, G.P. Rangaiah, Chem. Eng. August (2011) 22‒29.

https://www.chemengonline.com/evaluating-capital-cost-estimation-programs-2/?printmode=1.

R. Sinnott, G. Towler, Chemical Engineering Design, sixth ed., Butterworth-Heinemann (2020). ISBN: 978-0081025994.

C.R. Branan, Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers, fourth ed., Gulf Professional Pub., New York (2005). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-7506-7856-8.X5000-2.

R.N. Watkins, Hydrocarbon Process. 46 (1967) 253‒256.

https://dokumen.tips/documents/watkins-r-n-sizing-separators-and-accumulators-hydrocarbon-processing.html?page=1.

P.C. Wankat, Separation Process Engineering: Includes Mass Transfer Analysis, third ed., Pearson Education, Inc., New York (2012). ISBN: 978-0131382275.

G.D. Ulrich, P.T. Vasudevan, Chem. Eng. April (2006).

https://www.chemengonline.com/articles.php?file=2006%2FEng%2FEng04012006_07.html.

B. Bane, Cheaper carbon capture is on the way. PNNL, March 2021.

https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/cheaper-carbon-capture-way [accessed 11 August 2023].

S.R. Bhagwat, M. Olczak, Green hydrogen bridging the energy transition in Africa and Europe. European University Institute (2020).

https://africa-eu-energy-partnership.org/publications/green-hydrogen-bridging-the-energy-transition-in-africa-europe/.

Markets Energy, https://www.bloomberg.com/energy [accessed 16 April 2022].

C. Bettenhausen, Chem. Eng. News 101 (2023). https://cen.acs.org/materials/electronic-materials/Electrolyzers-tools-turn-hydrogen-green/101/i21 [accessed 20 January 2024].

ChemAnalyst, Methanol Price Trend and Forecast.

https://www.chemanalyst.com/Pricing-data/methanol-1 [accessed 11 August 2023].