PROCESS HEAT INTEGRATION AND STEAM SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION IN METHANOL PLANT

Abstract

A methanol plant is designed to produce 3,600 metric tons per day from the natural gas feedstock. Steam production is very important especially in the methanol plant that will be studied at this thesis. The plant currently is losing excess steam around 60 Ton/h by continuous venting to the atmosphere through both MP and LP header vent valves. The study is offering three alternatives (I, II and III) with using ASPEN HYSYS V.8.8 and the integrated APEA for cost estimation. Two main different alternatives to generate electrical power around 9.5 MW at alternative I and increase the plant production with 54.7 Ton/Day at alternative II. The alternative III (The Combined Alternative) is highly recommended as it is achieving all objectives of thesis, increasing the methanol production with 54.7 Ton/Day and generating an electrical power 7.64 MW. The benefits of the alternatives were found to be immense.