Neues Verfahren zur Methanol‐ und Ammoniak‐Synthese. Der Gas/Feststoff/Feststoff‐Rieselströmungsreaktor – ein neuer Reaktortyp zur Führung chemischer Gleichgewichtsprozesse

New process for the production of methanol and ammonia. The gas/solids/solids thrickle flow reactor – a new kind of reactor for chemical equilibrium processes . A new process for the production of ammonia or methanol has been developed in the high pressure laboratory of Twente Technical University. The reactants can be made to react completely in a single reactor pass, thus avoiding expensive recirculation. Complete reaction without recirculation is accomplished by a combination of two reversible processes: a chemical reaction and a selective adsorption of the reaction product on a solid in constant flow. On introduction of an inert‐gas free stoichiometric mixture of reactants into the reactor, the exhaust gas outlet can be closed. If there is an excess of one of the reactants or of inert gas, it can leave from the top of the reactor. Such a process has been accomplished in a new gas/solids/solids trickle flow reactor in which a granulated adsorbent „rains” through a fixed bed of catalyst. The present article describes the use of this kind of reactor for methanol synthesis. Considerable savings in production costs are expected relative to the modern Lurgi low pressure process. A pilot plant is to be built to characterize and evaluate the new process. Royal Dutch Shell has registered a patent application.