METHOD OF PROCESSING NATURAL GAS Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: processing natural gas; plants for obtaining synthesis gas for production of methanol. SUBSTANCE: proposed method includes extraction of natural gas, heating it in tubular space of high-pressure recuperative heat exchanger by heat of circulating gas and dividing it in two flows at ratio of (75-85)/(25-15). First flow is desulfurized and subjected to catalytic vapor conversion for obtaining converted gas and recovery of its heat; then flow is compressed and methanol is subjected to synthesis at circulation of non-converted gas and discharge of purge gases at recuperation of heat of non-converted gas followed by cooling in air cooling apparatus and in circulating water cooler at simultaneous separation of condensed methanol. Second flow is used as fuel gas after throttling. After compression of converted gas, it is additionally passed through heat exchanger-recuperator and isothermal continuous reactor for synthesis of methanol; purge gases are additionally passed through expander and purge gas heat recuperator. EFFECT: reduced power requirements; enhanced economical efficiency. 6 cl, 1 dwg