Patent ID: 8440729

Claim:
A method of preparing methanol from carbon dioxide, water and a methane source which comprises: conducting a bi-reforming reaction, wherein the only reactants are methane, carbon dioxide and water in a mole ratio of about 3:1:2 as follows: 3CH 4 +2H 2 O+CO 2 by: conducting wet reforming of methane from the methane source with water to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen as follows: 2CH 4 +2H 2 O→2CO+6H 2 ; conducting dry reforming of methane from the methane source with carbon dioxide to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen as follows: CH 4 +CO 2 →2CO+2H 2 ; combining effluents consisting of the carbon monoxide and hydrogen from the wet and dry reforming reactions without separation of components of the reforming reactions or their effluents to produce a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide having a molar ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide that is 2:1 to 2.1:1; and converting the molar mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide under conditions sufficient to exclusively form methanol, as follows: 4CO+8H 2 →4CH 3 OH.