Influence of the Reactor System on the Transformation of Methanol to Gasoline over H-ZSM-5

Abstract

In the current investigation, we studied the influence of reaction conditions on the liquid products formation and catalysts stability in methanol to gasoline synthesis process. Methanol to gasoline synthesis was carried out in continuous mode regime. Main reaction products were found to be gases including methane, ethylene, propylene, isobutene, and liquid hydrocarbons including cyclopropane and methylcyclopropane, as well as the aromatics - benzene, toluene, xylene, cresol, durol, naphthalene, methylnaphthalene, ethylnaphthalene, isopropylnaphthalene, methylisopropylnaphthalene etc. The optimal reaction conditions were found to be as the following: 5 bar of the total pressure in the system, 330 ºС process temperature, and methanol feed rate 5 mL/min. The optimal reactor size was found to be 30 cm length and 5 mm diameter. Under the established conditions the yield of the liquid strained hydrocarbons was the maximal and reached about 35 wt. %, while the aromatic content was only 3 wt. %.