Abstract Over a wide range of the total pressure and the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide measurements on the methanol synthesis have been made at different temperatures at different space velocities. Relations of the total pressure to the methanol concentration and the conversion efficiency, and the dependence of the methanol concentration and the conversion efficiency on the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide are presented. Based on the assumption of the logarithmic adsorption isotherm and of the methanol desorption as the rate determining step, the rate equation for the methanol synthesis has been derived, which follows: r=k_d{(P_COP^2_H2)^0.7-P_CH3OH·(P_COP^2_H2)^-0.3/K} The equation has proved capable of representing our experimental results satisfactorily over relatively wide ranges of the pressures, the ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide and the space velocity.