Method and apparatus for producing methanol with hydrocarbon recycling

1. A method of producing methanol, comprising:

supplying a first stream of heated hydrocarbon-containing gas into a reactor;

supplying into the reactor an oxygen-containing gas;

carrying out in the reactor oxidation of the first stream of heated hydrocarbon-containing gas by oxygen of the oxygen-containing gas to provide a product stream comprising methanol and formaldehyde; and transferring heat from the product stream to the first stream of heated hydrocarbon-containing gas after the reaction;

removing the methanol from the product stream; and

removing CO 2 from the product stream to form a reduced product stream comprising hydrocarbons by contacting with an absorbent, wherein the first stream comprises at least a portion of the reduced product stream.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the oxidation is partial oxidation without a catalyst.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the transfer of heat from the product stream to the first stream of heated hydrocarbon-containing gas at least partially heats the first stream of heated hydrocarbon-containing gas which is thereafter further heated to provide the first stream of heated hydrocarbon-containing gas.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein heat is transferred from the product stream to the hydrocarbon-containing gas in a heat exchanger downstream of the reactor.

5. The method as in claim 4 wherein the heat exchanger portion of the reactor comprises a downstream portion of the reactor.

6. The method as in claim 1 wherein removing CO 2 is passing the product stream through at least one of a scrubber, a purge stream, or a membrane separator.

7. The method as in claim 1 where carrying out in the reactor oxidation occurs at pressures between about 7 and 8 MPA.

8. The method as in claim 1 wherein the oxygen-containing gas comprises between 80% and 100% oxygen.

9. The method as in claim 1 wherein the oxygen containing gas comprises less than 20% nitrogen.

10. The method as in claim 1 wherein the carrying out of oxidation in the reactor occurs at temperatures between about 430° C. and 470° C.

11. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising supplying of the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas into the reactor.

12. The method as in claim 11 wherein said supplying of the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas into the reactor includes suppling the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas into the reactor at the state when formation of methanol and formaldehyde is substantially completed or thereafter.

13. A method as defined in claim 11 , wherein said supplying of the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas includes adjusting the quantity of the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas so to influence the extent of the decomposition of formaldehyde in the reactor.

14. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas is colder than the heated hydrocarbon-containing gas.

15. A method as in claim 1 wherein the absorbent comprises methanol.

16. A method of producing methanol, comprising:

supplying a first stream of heated hydrocarbon-containing gas into a reactor;

supplying into the reactor an oxygen-containing gas;

carrying out in the reactor oxidation of the heated hydrocarbon-containing gas stream by oxygen of the oxygen-containing gas to provide a product stream comprising methanol and formaldehyde; and transferring heat from the product stream to the first stream of heated hydrocarbon-containing gas after the reaction;

removing the methanol from the product stream; and

removing CO 2 under isobaric conditions from the product stream to form a reduced product stream comprising hydrocarbons, wherein the first stream comprises at least a portion of the reduced product stream.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 wherein the oxidation is partial oxidation without a catalyst.

18. The method as defined in claim 16 wherein the transfer of heat from the product stream to the hydrocarbon-containing gas at least partially heats the hydrocarbon-containing gas which is thereafter further heated to provide the first stream of heated hydrocarbon-containing gas.

19. The method as defined in claim 16 , wherein heat is transferred from the product stream to the hydrocarbon-containing gas in a heat exchanger downstream of the reactor.

20. The method as in claim 19 wherein the heat exchanger portion of the reactor comprises a downstream portion of the reactor.

21. The method as in claim 16 wherein removing CO 2 is passing the product stream through at least one of a scrubber, a purge stream, or a membrane separator.

22. The method as in claim 16 where carrying out in the reactor oxidation occurs at pressures between about 7 and 8 MPA.

23. The method as in claim 16 wherein the oxygen-containing gas comprises between 80% and 100% oxygen.

24. The method as in claim 16 wherein the oxygen containing gas comprises less than 20% nitrogen.

25. The method as in claim 16 wherein the carrying out of oxidation in the reactor occurs at temperatures between about 430° C. and 470°C.

26. A method as defined in claim 16 , further comprising supplying of the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas into the reactor.

27. The method as in claim 26 wherein said supplying of the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas into the reactor includes suppling the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas into the reactor at the state when formation of methanol and formaldehyde is substantially completed or thereafter.

28. A method as defined in claim 26 , wherein said supplying of the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas includes adjusting the quantity of the cold hydrocarbon containing gas so to influence the extent of the decomposition of formaldehyde in the reactor.

29. A method as in claim 26 , wherein the cold hydrocarbon-containing gas is colder than the heated hydrocarbon containing gas.