Sustainable Methanol Production via Integrated Supercritical CO2 Cycle: Process Optimization and Energy Efficiency Analysis

Abstract

This paper outlines the work on optimizing methanol production by incorporating a supercritical CO₂ cycle. The primary goal was to enhance methanol production efficiency and address environmental concerns by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The integration of the supercritical CO₂ cycle helps improve process efficiency, thereby increasing methanol production from 2,085.63 to 2,174.65 kg/h, a 4.3 % increase in production. This integration is in line with the mission to advance sustainable energy solutions. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the impact of CO₂ flow rates on methanol production. Increasing the CO₂ flow rate from 500 kg/h to 1,000 kg/h led to a minor increase in methanol output, which indicated that the process’s sensitivity to CO₂ flow rate changes is relatively low. This finding demonstrates that while the supercritical CO₂ cycle has potential benefits, the adjustments in flow rates have a limited impact on the final methanol production volume. Overall, the integration of the supercritical CO₂ cycle has shown potential for enhancing methanol production processes. The results underscore the effectiveness of incorporating advanced technologies to achieve better process performance and contribute to environmental sustainability.