Synthesis of Dimethyl Ether (DME)

Extensive research is being done on renewable sources of energy which could in future replace fossil fuels. Many considerations have to be made; a large scale production process that allows the fuel compete economically with fossil fuels, transportation of this fuel, ease of adaptation of existing systems to use the new fuel and the environmental effects o f the fuel use. I did a literature review on the plausibility of Dimethyl ether (DME) as a future source of energy.

Currently the large scale synthesis of DME is the main obstacle to DME replacing fossil based fuels. The synthesis process is energy consuming resulting in large capital investments and therefore the price of the final product is significantly higher than that of diesel. I therefore focused my research on the direct synthesis of DME. Both direct and indirect synthesis of DME can be divided into two steps; methanol synthesis followed by methanol dehydration. Direct synthesis involves the use of a by-functional catalyst that combines these two steps.

The highest yield is achieved by a catalyst with highly dispersed fine crystals of M+/Zn/gamma-Al2O3 a reactor that exhibits good heat transfer, a feed gas with CO/H2 ratio equal to the stoichiometric ratio of the overall equation of the reaction (i.e. 1:1)