How to Produce Methanol from Coal

The production of methanol from coal is the subject of this book. The reader is led from coal gasification through all steps of gas purification and conditioning to gas synthesis and distillation. Also covered are the production and treatment of operating materials and the treatment and disposal of by-products and effluents. And not only is pure-methanol production described but also that of so-called fuel methanol (mixtures of methanol and higher alcohols). The purpose of the book is to outline all practical aspects of methanol production and to highlight the criteria used for selecting the various production stages. It is aimed not at describing what can be done but at providing the necessary know-how. Unlike most (if not all) other publications on this topic, one particular production route is considered in detail and schemes containing material and energy balances are presented.