Skip to content
1887
Volume 61, Issue 3
  • ISSN: 2056-5135

Abstract

Global methanol production in 2016 was around 85 million metric tonnes (1), enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool every twelve minutes. And if all the global production capacity were in full use, it would only take eight minutes. The vast majority of the produced methanol undergoes at least one further chemical transformation, more likely two or three before being turned into a final product. Methanol is one of the first building blocks in a wide variety of synthetic materials that make up many modern products and is also used as a fuel and a fuel additive. This paper looks at the last 100 years or so of the industrial history of methanol production.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1595/205651317X695622
2017-01-01
2024-04-26
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/jmtr/61/3/JMTR-61-3-Sheldon.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.1595/205651317X695622&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

References

  1. Berggren M. ‘Global Methanol: Demand Grows as Margins Atrophy’, 19th IMPCA Asian Methanol Conference, Singapore, 1st–3rd November, 2016 [Google Scholar]
  2. and Kung H. H. “Methanol Production and Use”, eds. Cheng W.-H., Marcel Dekker, Inc, New York, USA, 1994, p. 2 [Google Scholar]
  3. Sabatier P., and Senderens J.-B. Ann. Chim. Phys., 1905, 4, (8), 319 [Google Scholar]
  4. Patart G. ‘Procédé de Production d’Alcools, d’Aldéhydes et d’Acides à Partir de Mélanges Gazeux Maintenus sous Pression et Soumis à l’Action d’Agents Catalytiques ou de l’Électricité’, French Patent Appl. 1922/540,543 [Google Scholar]
  5. Kershaw J. B. C. ‘The World’s Future Supplies of Liquid Fuels’, The Engineer, 25thMarch, 1927, 316 LINK http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/The_Engineer_1927/03/25 [Google Scholar]
  6. Mittasch A., Pier M., Winkler K., and AG BASF ‘Ausführung Organischer Katalysen’, German Patent 415,686; 1925 [Google Scholar]
  7. ‘1902–1924: The Haber-Bosch Process and the Era of Fertilizers’, BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany: https://www.basf.com/en/company/about-us/history/1902-1924.html (Accessed on 16th May 2017) [Google Scholar]
  8. Mittasch A., Pier M., and Müller C. IG Farbenindustrie AG, ‘Manufacture of Oxygenated Organic Compounds’, US Patent Appl. 1931/1,791,568 [Google Scholar]
  9. Mittasch A., Pier M., and AG BASF ‘Synthetic Manufacture of Methanol’, US Patent Appl. 1926/1,569,775 [Google Scholar]
  10. AG BASF ‘Improvements in the Manufacture of Methyl Alcohol and Other Oxygenated Organic Compounds’, British Patent Appl. 1925/231,285 [Google Scholar]
  11. Mittasch A., Schneider C., and AG BASF ‘Producing Compounds Containing Carbon and Hydrogen’, US Patent Appl. 1916/1,201,850 [Google Scholar]
  12. Reed F. C. ‘Process of Producing Compounds Containing Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen’, US Patent Appl. 1934/1,959,219 [Google Scholar]
  13. “The Methanol Industry Past, Present and Working Towards a Sustainable Future”, Johnson Matthey Process Technologies, online video clip, YouTubeGB, 29th November, 2016 LINK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hzn7HNnTKg [Google Scholar]
  14. Błasiak E. ‘Sposób Wytwarzania Wysokoaktywnego Katalizatora do Syntezy Metanolu’, Polish Patent 34,000; 1947 [Google Scholar]
  15. Murkin C., and Brightling J. Johnson Matthey Technol. Rev., 2016, 60, (4), 263 LINK http://www.technology.matthey.com/article/60/4/263-269/ [Google Scholar]
  16. Haddeland G. E. “Synthetic Methanol”, Report No. 43, Process Economics Program, Stanford Research Institute, California, USA, 1968, p. 4 LINK https://www.ihs.com/products/chemical-technology-pep-methanol-1968-report.html [Google Scholar]
  17. Davies P., Snowdon F. F., Bridger G. W., Hughes D. O., and Young P. W. ICI Ltd, ‘Water-Gas Conversion and Catalysts Therefor’, British Patent Appl. 1965/1,010,871 [Google Scholar]
  18. Gallagher J. T., and Kidd J. M. ICI Ltd, ‘Methanol Synthesis’, British Patent Appl. 1969/1,159,035 [Google Scholar]
  19. Appl M. ‘Methanol-Born in 1923 and Still Going Strong’, World Methanol Conference, Frankfurt, Germany, 15th December, 1998 [Google Scholar]
  20. ‘Stormy Start Up’, Process & Catalyst News, Number 1, ICI, Agricultural Division, 1st January, 1971 [Google Scholar]
  21. Mansfield K. Nitrogen, 1996, 221, 27 [Google Scholar]
  22. Brownless J., and Scott E. ‘Experience of the No. 2 Methanol Plant Synthesis Converter at Billingham’, International Methanol Technology Operators Forum (IMTOF), London, UK, September, 1991 [Google Scholar]
  23. Haddeland G. E. “Synthetic Methanol”, Report No. 43B, Process Economics Program, Stanford Research Institute, California, USA, 1968, 146 pp LINK https://www.ihs.com/products/chemical-technology-pep-methanol-1968.html [Google Scholar]
  24. ‘The Denatured Alcohol Regulations 2005’, 2005 No. 1524, The Stationery Office Limited, London, UK, 8th June, 2005 LINK http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/1524/made [Google Scholar]
  25. Ross J. “Heterogeneous Catalysis: Fundamentals and Applications”, 1st Edn., Elsevier BV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2012, p. 188 [Google Scholar]
  26. Aasberg-Petersen K., Nielsen C. S., Dybkjær I., and Perregaard J. “Large Scale Methanol Production from Natural Gas”, Haldor Topsøe, Lyngby, Denmark, 2008 [Google Scholar]
  27. Blythe B. M., and Sampson R. W. Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem., Prepr., 1973, 18, (3), 84 [Google Scholar]
  28. Fitzpatrick T. J. ‘New Developments in Methanol Synthesis Catalysts and Technology’, International Methanol Technology Operators Forum (IMTOF), London, UK, 15th–16th June, 1993 [Google Scholar]
  29. Mansfield K. ‘ICI Katalco and Methanol, Past, Present and Future’, International Methanol Technology Operators Forum (IMTOF), San Francisco, USA, 19th–22nd June, 1995 [Google Scholar]
  30. ‘World’s Largest CO2 Methanol Plant’, Carbon Recycling International, Kopavogur, Iceland, 14th February, 2016 LINK http://carbonrecycling.is/george-olah/ [Google Scholar]
  31. ‘NWIW Adopts Pioneering Technology to Substantially Reduce Facility Emissions’, Johnson Matthey Process Technologies, Royston, UK, 6th August, 2015 LINK http://www.jmprotech.com/site.asp?siteid=1280&pageid=1442&newsid=248 [Google Scholar]
  32. ‘World’s Largest Methanol Plant to be Commissioned in Iran’, Chemicals Technology, News, London, UK, 27th February, 2015 LINK http://www.chemicals-technology.com/news/newsworlds-largest-methanol-plant-to-be-commissioned-in-iran-4521730 [Google Scholar]
  33. Zuo Z., Ramírez P. J., Senanayake S. D., Liu P., and Rodriguez J. A. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2016, 138, (42), 13810 LINK https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.6b08668 [Google Scholar]
  34. Tomkins P., Mansouri A., Bozbag S. E., Krumeich F., Park M. B., Alayon E. M. C., Ranocchiari M., and van Bokhoven J. A. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2016, 55, (18), 5467 LINK https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.201511065 [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1595/205651317X695622
Loading
/content/journals/10.1595/205651317X695622
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error