PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF METHANOL

摘要

of the invention This invention provides a process for the production of methanol which comprises steps of (a) reacting hydrocarbon with steam to generate synthesis gas composed of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide as main components, (b) reacting the synthesis gas on a methanol synthesis catalyst to synthesize crude methanol, and (c) feeding the resultant crude methanol directly to a distillation column and distilling the crude methanol to separate purified methanol and an effluent water containing all or part of low boiling organic compounds, high boiling organic compounds and organic acids, the above step (c) being a step for the distillation and separation carried out without adding any alkali compound to neutralize the organic acids in the crude methanol obtained in the above step (b), the process including a step of bringing the effluent water resulting from the above step (c) into contact with gaseous hydrocarbon to humidify the hydrocarbon, the humidified hydrocarbon being used as a material for hydrocarbon and steam used in the above step (a).