The Infinity Reactor: A new conceptual design for a more cost-efficient CO2 to methanol route

With conventional methanol reactor designs for CO2-based methanol synthesis, there is the risk of rapid catalyst deactivation with commercial Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 catalysts at high water partial pressures, related to the use of CO2 as carbon feed. As catalyst reactivity and exothermicity are influenced by the switch to a CO2-rich feed, also heat integration options are affected. A new reactor/process design, the Infinity Reactor, is proposed to both improve catalyst lifetime and reduce catalyst usage. The Infinity Reactor is a shell and tube type of reactor, with catalyst on both sides, utilising the difference in temperature between the inlet and outlet of the reactor to operate as a quasi-gas-cooled reactor. The gas loops over both sides of the reactor, with intermediate cooling and condensation. This modelling study shows around 35% savings in catalyst volume in comparison with adiabatic operation.