The Direct Dimethyl Ether (DME) Synthesis Process from Syngas: Current Status and Future prospects I. Process Feasibility and Chemical Synergy in LPDMEtm Process
Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: A novel one-step process for co-production of dimethyl ether (DME) and methanol, in the liquid phase was first conceived by the UA researchers, as an advance over the liquid phase methanol synthesis process (LPMeOHtm). The one-step, direct DME process (LPDMEtm) is based on the application of “dual catalysis”, where 2 functionally different yet compatible catalysts are used as a physical mixture, well-dispersed in the inert liquid phase. Three different reactions, methanol synthesis (via CO and CO2), water-gas shift, and methanol dehydration (to form DME) take place over the 2 catalysts, Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 and typically γ-Al2O3. The favorable thermodynamic and kinetic coupling of methanol dehydration reaction (very rapid and at/near thermodynamic equilibrium) with the methanol synthesis reaction (slower kinetics and highly thermodynamic) leads the beneficial “chemical synergy”. This synergy helps to overcome the limitation on thermodynamic equilibrium conversion, and increases the per-pass syngas conversionand reactor productivity. The catalyst deactivation phenomena in LPDMEtm processes also greatly alleviated compared to methanol alone; the increase in syngas conversion and methyl equivalent productivity (MEP) are sustained over a longer on-stream time.
Author: Makarand R Gogate
Language: English
Subfield: Catalysis
Field: Chemical Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2897828476