Process and plant for distillation of methanol with heat recovery

1. A process for refining a stream of crude methanol, comprising:

pre-treatment of said stream of crude methanol in a topping stage, for the separation of volatile components, obtaining a stream of light gases and a solution of de-gassed crude methanol, said pre-treatment being carried out at a defined topping pressure;

distillation of methanol from said solution of de-gassed crude methanol in a distillation stage;

wherein the distillation of methanol stage comprises at least one final distillation step of methanol at a defined distillation pressure, and wherein:

said distillation pressure of said final step is greater than said topping pressure, and:

a gaseous stream of distilled methanol produced in the final distillation step, is used to supply at least part of a heat flow for the pre-treatment topping step;

wherein the distillation of methanol stage further comprises:

at least one distillation step upstream of said final distillation step,

wherein a partially distilled methanol solution, obtained in said at least one upstream distillation step, is directed to the final distillation step, and

wherein the pressure or the pressures of the distillation step(s) upstream of the final distillation step is/are greater than said distillation pressure of said final step.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein:

a solution containing methanol is taken from said topping stage;

said solution is heated by means of indirect heat exchange with said gaseous stream of distilled methanol obtained in the final distillation step;

the heated solution is re-introduced into the topping stage, thus obtaining the heating of said stage.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein said gaseous stream of distilled methanol condenses at least partially through the effect of said heat exchange with said solution.

4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein said solution containing methanol evaporates at least partially through the effect of said heat exchange.

5. The process according to claim 3 , wherein said heat exchange takes place in a tube or plate heat exchanger.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the topping pressure is roughly equal to atmospheric pressure and the final distillation pressure is at least 2 bar.

7. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the final distillation pressure is comprised in the range 2-6 bar.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein each of said preliminary topping treatment stage and said distillation stage is carried out in at least one respective distillation column.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein:

the gaseous stream of distilled methanol produced in said final distillation step is extracted from the top of a final distillation column in which said final distillation step is carried out;

a first part of said gaseous stream of distilled methanol is condensed in a condenser-reboiler also operating as a bottom reboiler of a topping column, in which said topping stage is carried out;

a second part of said gaseous stream of distilled methanol is condensed in a top condenser of said final distillation column;

said first and second parts are combined to obtain condensed methanol; and

a part of said condensed methanol is reintroduced into the final distillation column.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the topping pressure is not greater than 1.5 bar.

11. The process according to claim 6 , wherein the final distillation pressure is about 5 bar.