A Novel Single-Step Dimethyl Ether (DME) Synthesis in a Three-Phase Slurry Reactor from Co-Rich Syngas
Abstract
The productivity of liquid phase methanol synthesis reactor in limited by the chemical equilibrium barrier caused by high local methanol concentration in the liquid phase. This barrier can be partly lifted by either selective physical remoal of methanol from the liquid phase or in-situ conversion to other chemical species. A novel process for manufacturing dimethyl ether (DME) from CO-rich syngas in the liquid phase has been developed. Two functionally different catalysts are slurried in the inert liquid phase, in this dual catalytic mode of operation. The (methanol+DME) co-production approach is extremely effective in increasing the per-pass syngas conversion and reactor productivity over those of methanol synthesis alone. The co-production approach can also co-produce methanol and DME in any fixed proportion, from practically pure DME to pure methanol. Scientific aspects of the process including the process feasibility domain, reaction kinetics, catalytic management, and thermodynamic modeling will be discussed.
Recommended Citation
S. Lee et al., "A Novel Single-Step Dimethyl Ether (DME) Synthesis in a Three-Phase Slurry Reactor from Co-Rich Syngas," Chemical Engineering Science, Elsevier, Jan 1992.
The definitive version is available at https://doi.org/10.1016/0009-2509(92)85096-T
Department(s)
Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
Keywords and Phrases
Methanol; DME; Dual Catalysts; Synthetic Fuels; Mechanically Agitated Slurry Reactor; Bubble Column Slurry Reactor
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
0009-2509
Document Type
Article - Journal
Document Version
Citation
File Type
text
Language(s)
English
Rights
© 1992 Elsevier, All rights reserved.
Publication Date
01 Jan 1992
