Date of Award
2020
First Advisor
Michael Bergman
Second Advisor
David Myers
Abstract
As fossil fuels become depleted and the environment faces adverse complications, it is vital now more than ever to promote a transformation of the energy industry away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable, safe, and environmentally friendly resources. Methanol could serve as a potential intermediate to allow for a smoother transition in regard to infrastructure as well as daily life. A methanol plant design is presented to illustrate the feasibility of a future where it can effectively replace petroleum refineries. The design simulation was run in Aspen V8.8 to optimize the material and energy efficiencies of the plant. A block flow diagram with final design values is provided, along with economic and profitability analyses. The proposed methanol plant would require an initial capital investment of $169 million and profits $51.8 million annually. The return on investment is 0.31. Based on these values, investing in this methanol plant would garner low risk and high reward.
Recommended Citation
Hammond, Lydia, "A Methanol Fuel Cell Intermediate: Bridging the Gap Between Fossil Fuels and Clean Energy With the Design and Optimization of a Methanol Synthesis Plant" (2020). Senior Theses. 1449.
https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/sr-theses/1449
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