Used Formaldehyde Plants for Sale

Methanol is continuously pumped from the methanol storage tanks and vaporized by a heating steam. The methanol vapor is then mixed in a fixed proportion with air before passing the mixture to a reactor. The methanol is oxidized to formaldehyde when it meets the hot (molybdenum / ferric oxide) catalyst inside the reactor. The reaction gas then flows to an absorption column where the formaldehyde gas is scrubbed from the gas stream by a counter-current of demineralized water, flowing from the top of the column. The formaldehyde gas dissolves in the demin water, yielding a formaldehyde solution of approximately 45% strength, which is then cooled and pumped to storage.

There are two types of technology used in a formaldehyde plant.

The silver catalyst formaldehyde technology is when vaporized methanol passes over silver-crystal catalyst at about 650oC. The dehydrogenation of methanol is what creates formaldehyde.

In metal oxidized catalyst technology, methanol is oxidized over a mix of molybdenum and iron oxide. Then a mix of air and methanol is vaporized passing into catalyst filled reactor tubes. The reaction takes place at 350oC generating heat providing steam for turbines.

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