Single-Step Syngas-to-Dimethyl Ether Processes for Optimal Productivity, Minimal Emissions, and Natural Gas-Derived Syngas

Abstract

Process schemes for single-step syngas-to-dimethyl ether (DME) were developed in two stages: (1) the performance of the syngas-to-DME reactor was optimized with respect to the feed gas composition and (2) the optimal reactor feed gas system was integrated with synthesis gas generators. It was shown that the reactor performance is very sensitive to the H2:CO ratio in the feed gas. The optimal DME productivity and best material utilization were obtained with a feed gas containing 50% hydrogen and 50% carbon monoxide. In the second phase the syngas generation units considered were CO2−methane reformer, steam−methane reformer, methane partial oxidation, and coal gasifier. The integration adjusts the H2:CO ratio in natural gas-derived syngas to fit the optimal DME reactor operation and minimizes CO2 emissions and material loss. The technical feasibility of these schemes was demonstrated by simulations using realistic reactor models, kinetics, and thermodynamics under commercially relevant conditions.

Energy, Environment and IMCC

“…The SOEC may be commercialized within a few years, more or less in parallel with the commercialization of SOFC, even though the SOEC application has its own set of durability challenges (11,12) Reduction of CO 2 may also be done in a cell with a proton conducting ceramic such as the perovskite of the type BaZr 1-x Y x O 3 (13). Such proton conducting perovskites constitute a whole class of perovskite structured materials, which may be developed to , 45 (1) 3-9 (2012) work at temperatures below 400 °C, below which there may be a chance to hydrogenate CO 2 electrochemically into hydrocarbons directly on the electrode as some hydrocarbons are stable at such temperatures.…”

Development of Alternative Fuels and Chemicals From Synthesis Gas

“…How to apply this understanding in practice offered technical challenges, since most commercial syngas generation technologies do not provide syngas with equal molar H 2 and CO. For coal-derived CO-rich syngas, the shortage of H 2 can be supplemented by water injection to the LPDME™ reactor. For natural gas-derived, H 2 -rich syngas, process schemes have been developed to achieve overall H:C balance, while the reactor is operated with the 1:1 feed (Peng, 1999b). A general scheme is shown in Figure B.7; it is based on the integration between the LPDME™ synthesis loop and the syngas generation unit.…”

Improved Stability of Pd/Al2O3 Prepared from Palladium Nanoparticles Protected with Carbosilane Dendrons in the Dimethyl Ether Steam Reforming Reaction

“…[1,2] In addition, the synthesis gas-to-DME process has been developed recently for the direct synthesis of DME from the product of the gasification of biomass (CO and H 2 ) in a single step, [3][4][5] which thus provides the possibility to obtain hydrogen from a renewable source. One of the most attractive methods to produce hydrogen from renewable bio-derived liquids such as DME and bioalcohols is steam reforming because of its simplicity and high H 2 yield.…”

“…(2)] followed by the steam reforming of methanol [Eq. (3)] with the participation of the water gas shift (WGS) reaction [Eq. (4)].…”