Techno-economic analysis of alternative processes for alcohol-assisted methanol synthesis from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

The novel methanol production from carbon dioxide (CO 2) and hydrogen (H 2) called alcohol-assisted process is simulated. Although the alcohol-assisted process allows the reduction in operating temperature and pressure, the subsequent product purification is complicated. Comparative studies between the conventional CO 2 hydrogenation and the alcohol-assisted processes are carried out (case I–V). The alcohol-assisted processes present the opportunity of increasing the CO 2 conversion per-pass and reducing 25% of the hydrogen consumption, the barriers in the conventional process. However, the product purifications remain challenging due to the azeotrope of methanol and by-products. Energy consumptions decrease in the feed and reaction sections of the alcohol-assisted processes but significant increase in the product purifications. The formation of by-products and the sequence of purification units affect process performance and economics. The obtained results indicate that the product purification and the catalyst development to increase methanol selectivity and produce an easy-separated by-product play key roles in the enhancement of the process feasibility. • Novel methanol production from CO 2 and H 2 called alcohol-assisted process is simulated. • The new process increases CO 2 conversion per-pass and reduces H 2 consumption. • Product purification and catalyst development play key role in the process feasibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]