A research into the thermodynamics of methanol to hydrocarbon (MTH): conflictions between simulated product distribution and experimental results

Thermodynamic calculations and analysis were carried out for a rational understanding of the results from selected laboratory MTH reactions. Simulations without solid carbons (coke), CO, CO2 and light alkanes target on the yield of olefin and aromatic products, which has been found better referenced to the real experimental observations that occur in time-on-stream (TOS). The confliction between simulated data and real experimental results is presumably ascribed to the limited dwelling time of products in the reaction system. Hydrocarbon pool based reactions donate olefins and methyl-benzenes as primary products in a continuous-flow MTH reaction; when the dwelling time of product extends intra-conversions (H2 transfers) between products would further adjust the composition of MTH yield, in which case alkanes and aromatic products (cokes precursors) increase. In the case of intra-conversions are ignored due to limited product dwelling time, thermodynamic calculation on Gibbs free energy change of selected sub reactions shows fairly close results to the real experimental data, which well supports the above explanations. This work highlights the importance of proper choosing target products and/or sub reactions for a rational thermodynamic prediction of MTH product distribution obtained in time-on-stream.