Method and apparatus for producing methanol making use of biomass material

• US 6,645,442 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2001
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
• Inventors: Aruga, Takeshi, Kobayashi, Yoshinori, Kabata, Tatsuo, Kaneko, Shozo
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, HIEN THI
• Application Number:
  US10/001,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20020087037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 422/187-188, 422/198, 422/190, 422/199, 518/702, 518/704, 204/275.1, 48/61, 48/62.R
• US Class Current: 422/187
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 29/1518 one step being the formation of initial mixture of carbon oxides and hydrogen for synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 31/04 Methanol
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0909 Drying
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0959 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0973 Water
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1621 Compression of synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1665 to alcohols, e.g. methanol or ethanol preparation of alcohols in general C07C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1684 with electrolysis of water
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1693 with storage facilities for intermediate, feed and/or product
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1846 Partial oxidation, i.e. injection of air or oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1853 Steam reforming, i.e. injection of steam only
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1884 with one stream being synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1892 with one stream being water/steam
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/482 Gasifiers with stationary fluidised bed
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/02 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/101 with water only
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/50 : Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for producing methanol making use of biomass material, which method is capable of making effective use of produced carbon monoxide without deteriorating efficiency of methanol production. The invention also provides an apparatus for producing methanol. In the method for producing methanol making use of biomass material including gasifying biomass to produce a gas and producing methanol from the produced gas, water is electrolyzed by means of a water electrolysis unit operated by electric power generated from a sunlight power-generation unit or a wind power-generation unit, and hydrogen gas generated through electrolysis of the water is supplied to the raw material gas such that the amount of hydrogen is adjusted to at least twice the amount of carbon monoxide contained in the produced gas, to thereby produce methanol in a methanol synthesis column.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing methanol making use of biomass material comprising:

biomass gasification means for producing a gas through partial combustion or steam-gasification of biomass;

methanol synthesis means for producing methanol from the thus-produced gas,

hydrogen gas supplying means for supplying hydrogen gas to the produced gas, wherein the hydrogen gas supplying means supplies hydrogen gas to the produced gas such that the amount of hydrogen gas is adjusted to at least twice the amount of carbon monoxide contained in the produced gas and wherein the hydrogen gas supplying means includes water electrolysis means for electrolyzing water wherein oxygen gas generated through electrolysis of water by means of the water electrolysis means is supplied, as a gasification agent, to the biomass gasification means;

oxygen gas reserving means for temporarily reserving oxygen gas generated through electrolysis of water by means of the water electrolysis means, wherein the hydrogen gas supplying means includes hydrogen gas reserving means for temporarily reserving hydrogen gas generated through electrolysis of water by means of the water electrolysis means; and

natural-energy-based power-generation means for operating the water electrolysis means through power generation making use of natural energy.

2. An apparatus for producing methanol making use of biomass material according to claim 1, wherein the natural-energy-based power-generation means includes electric power storage means for temporarily storing electric power.

3. An apparatus for producing methanol making use of biomass material according to claim 1, wherein the natural-energy-based power generation means generates electric power by use of at least one type of energy selected from among sunlight energy, wind energy, tidal energy, hydraulic energy, and solar thermal energy.