Single-step synthesis of dimethyl ether in a slurry reactor

✍ Scribed by J.J. Lewnard; T.H. Hsiung; J.F. White; D.M. Brown

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1990
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 472 KB
• Volume: 45
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0009-2509
• DOI: 10.1016/0009-2509(90)80165-b

✦ Synopsis

Dimethyl ether (DME) is an important intermediate in several alternative fuels processes which ultimately convert synthesis gas to liquid products. Our work details a novel slurry-based process which yields OWE and variable amounts of co-product methanol (HeOH) from synthesis gas in a single step. The water-gas shift, MeOH synthesis, and MeOH dehydration reactions proceed concurrently in a three-phase reactor. Operation with a back-mixed slurry reactor exploits the synergy of the three reactions, and moderates the reaction exotherm to permit high per-pass conversions. Feed gases with CO concentrations ranging from 20% to CO%. and HZ/CO ratios varying from 0.01 to 2.9 have been tested with several multi-functional catalyst systems. The process offers the potential for both lower capital and operating costs compared to processes using independent shift, MeOH. and ORE reactors_ KEYWORDS combined cycle (IGCC) power plant (Douglas, 1983). The third scenario is also a Dimethyl ether, methanol, synthesis gas, slurry reactor, alternate fuels '.OI OS 1 Equilibrium /' 250 260 270 280 290 Temperature (C) Fi .6. Effact of Tem rature on Product S%otivity at 5.6 MP!%sing Recycle Gas