PROCESS OF PRODUCING TOWN GAS FROM METHANOL

摘要

A process of producing a town-gas-grade fuel gas having a calorific value below 18,000 kJ/standard m3 (4300 kcal/standard m3) by a catalytic reaction of methanol and water vapor under a pressure in the range of about 10 to 50 bars. 80 to 95% of mixed feedstocks containing water vapor and methanol in a weight ratio of about 0.5 to 1.5 are fed at a temperature of 300 to 700.degree.C to a first reaction zone which contains a nickel catalyst that contains 25 to 50% nickel by weight as an active component. The remainder of the mixed feedstocks together with the effluent gas withdrawn from the first reaction zone are then fed at a temperature of 200 to 400.degree.C to a second reaction zone, which contains a copper catalyst that contains about 40 to 70% copper by weight. The process of the invention permits to produce a town-gas-grade gas in a technologically simple manner and without need for extraneous gas sources.