Overview
The production of methanol from hydrogen and carbon monoxide is an equilibrium reaction. Write a short text (150-200 words) about the production of methanol on an industrial scale. Tell under which conditions (temperature, pressure, catalyst) methanol can be produced as much as possible and how Le Chatelier's principle can be used in planning the synthesis.
Methanol (CH3OH), may possibly be an increasingly important fuel in the future and it can be produced from synthetic gas, i.e. a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, according to the following equilibrium reaction:
CO(g) + 2 H2(g) <-> CH3OH(g)
Reaction equilibrium constant Kc (T=483 K)= 13.7. At this temperature, the equilibrium concentration for carbon monoxide (CO) was measured to be 1.03 M, and for methanol 1.56 M. What is the equilibrium concentration of hydrogen gas H2 at a temperature of 483 K?
Give the answer to three decimal places in units of mol/dm3 (=M).