Patent ID: 7247656

Claim:
A process for converting syngas into at least first and second products, the first product comprising a first liquid hydrocarbon and the second product comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a second liquid hydrocarbon, methanol and dimethyl ether, the first and second liquid hydrocarbons being non-identical, the process comprising the steps of: (a) supplying a raw syngas comprising H 2 ; (b) providing an integrated hydrocarbon synthesis system comprising: (1) first and second synthesis units; and (2) first and second membrane separators; (c) feeding a first portion of said raw syngas to said first membrane separator; (d) separating said first portion of raw syngas in said first membrane separator into a first H2-lean syngas and a first H2-rich syngas; (e) forming a first H2-adjusted syngas by combining a second portion of said raw syngas and a stream of said first H2-lean syngas; (f) feeding said first H2-adjusted syngas to said first synthesis unit and synthesizing thereat said first product comprising a first hydrocarbon; (h) feeding a third portion of said raw syngas to said second membrane separator; (i) separating said third portion of raw syngas in said second membrane separator into a second H2-lean syngas and a second H2-rich syngas; and (i) feeding a second H2-adjusted syngas to said second synthesis unit and synthesizing thereat said second product, wherein: (1) when said second product comprises said second liquid hydrocarbon, said second H2-adjusted syngas comprises said second H2-lean syngas from said second membrane separator; (2) when said second product comprises said dimethyl ether, said second H2-adjusted syngas comprises said second H2-lean syngas from said second membrane separator; (3) when said second product comprises said methanol, said second H2-adjusted syngas comprises a member selected from the group consisting of said first H2-rich syngas and said second H2-rich syngas.