Sciencemadness Discussion Board

methanol from CO2

Hoffmann-LaRoche - 10-9-2002 at 05:34

I recently tried this process, which describes the conversion of CO2 into methanol, utilizing an electric cell...
I did not have success, i think the current density was too high.
The patent text itself doesnt lose a single word about the preferred current density....

United States Patent 3,959,094
Steinberg May 25, 1976

EXAMPLE

A 33% aqueous KOH solution containing 3.2% CO.sub.2 is circulated through absorber 12 countercurrent to air until the KOH solution is 50% converted to K.sub.2 CO.sub.3 and containing 6.5% CO.sub.2. The potassium hydroxide-carbonate solution is electrolyzed with at least 1.4 volts D.C. current until 50% of the dissolved CO.sub.2 is converted to CH.sub.3 OH. The concentration of methanol is 2.3% by weight. All the methanol is essentially distilled from solution and recovered.

The energy requirements for the above are as follows:


Energy for CO.sub.2 absorption from air and
distillation of methanol
0.8
Energy for electrolytic reduction
3.6
4.4 Kwh
per lb. of CH.sub.3 OH
This is equivalent to 29.0 Kwh(e)/gal-
lon CH.sub.3 OH




reaction of acetonitrile

The_Decomposer - 15-11-2002 at 04:43

CH3CN + NaOCl + 2 H2O --> CH3OH + CO2 + NH3 + NaCl
:cool:

BASF - 15-11-2002 at 10:38

Thanks for your input, but i think i`d better keep my acetonitrile for other purposes;-)