One-step synthesis of dimethyl ether from syngas mixture at low pressure
Abstract
The authors studies the catalyst for direct synthesis of dimethyl ether (DME) from syngas (CO and H2), using a mixture of metallic oxides (CuZnO) and solid acidic components including ZSM-5, γ-Al2O3, SiO2, and MCM-41, at low pressure condition. In order to fi nd out the most suitable sample, about 40 catalysts samples were synthesised by coprecipitation method. Catalysts activity measurements were carried out using a catalytic fixed bed reactor. The operating temperature range was 250 - 300oC and the pressure was fixed at 6,89 bar. Among the 4 studied catalyst systems, the results suggest that the catalyst with γ-Al2O3 as support showed superior results, and the best catalyst sample is the 20% weight percent of CuZn-O support on γ-Al2O3 with the molar ratio Cu/Zn = 70/30, which gave the maximum CO conversion to DME. At the reaction temperature of 275oC and a fixed pressure of 6,89 bar, this is also the sample having the highest selectivity and DME formation rate.
References
F.Trippe, M.Fröhling, F.Schultmann, R.Stahl, E.Henrich, A.Dalai. Comprehensive techno-economic assessment of dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis as alternative process steps within biomass-to-liquid production. Fuel Processing Technology. 2013; 106: p. 577 - 586.
A.E.Atabani, A.S.Silitonga, I.A.Badruddin, T.Mahlia, H.Masjuki, S.Mekhilef. A comprehensive review on biodiesel as an alternative energy resource and its characteristics. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2012; 16(4): p. 2070 - 2093.
Z.Hosseini, M.Taghizadeh, F.Yaripour. Synthesis of nanocrystalline γ-Al2O3 by sol-gel and precipitation methods for methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether. Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry. 2011; 20(2): p. 128 - 134.
F.Raoof, M.Taghizadeh, A.Eliassi, F.Yaripour. Effects of temperature and feed composition on catalytic dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether over γ-alumina. Fuel. 2008; 87(13 - 14): p. 2967 - 2971.
L.Travalloni, A.C.L.Gomes, A.B.Gaspar, M.A.P.da Silva. Methanol conversion over acid solid catalysts. Catalysis Today. 2008; 133 - 135: p. 406 - 412.
Q.Tang, H.Xu, Y.Zheng, J.Wang, H.Li, J.Zhang. Catalytic dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether over micro-mesoporous ZSM-5/MCM-41 composite molecular sieves. Applied Catalysis A: General. 2012; 413 - 414: p. 36 - 42.
R.Ladera, E.Finocchio, S.Rojas, J.L.G.Fierro, M.Ojeda. Supported niobium catalysts for methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether: FTIR studies of acid properties. Catalysis Today. 2012; 192(1): p. 136 - 143.
D.Mao, W.Yang, J.Xia, B.Zhang, G.Lu. The direct synthesis of dimethyl ether from syngas over hybrid catalysts with sulfate-modified γ-alumina as methanol dehydration components. Journal of Molecular Catalysis A: Chemical. 2006; 250(1 - 2): p. 138 - 144.
J.Ereña, I.Sierra, A.T.Aguayo, A.Ateka, M.Olazar, J.Bilbao. Kinetic modelling of dimethyl ether synthesis from (H2 + CO2) by considering catalyst deactivation. Chemical Engineering Journal. 2011; 174(2 - 3): p. 660 - 667.
J.Ereña, R.Garoña, J.M.Arandes, A.T.Aguayo, J.Bilbao. Effect of operating conditions on the synthesis of dimethyl ether over a CuO-ZnO-Al2O3/NaHZSM-5 bifunctional catalyst. Catalysis today. 2005; 107 - 108: p. 467 - 473.
G.Moradi, F.Yaripour, P.Vale-Sheyda. Catalytic dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether over mordenite catalysts. Fuel Processing Technology. 2010; 91(5): p. 461 - 468.
W-H.Chen, B-J.Lin, H-M.Lee, M-H.Huang. One-step synthesis of dimethyl ether from the gas mixture containing CO2 with high space velocity. Applied Energy. 2012; 98: p. 92 - 101.
L.Wang, D.Fang, X.Huang, S.Zhang, Y.Qi, Z.Liu. Influence of reaction conditions on methanol synthesis and WGS reaction in the syngas-to-DME process. Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry. 2006; 15(1): p. 38 - 44.
Q.Ge, Y.Huang, F.Qiu, S.Li. Bifunctional catalysts for conversion of synthesis gas to dimethyl ether. Applied Catalysis A: General. 1998; 167(1): p. 23 - 30.
G.Bozga, I.T.Apan, R.E.Bozga. Dimethyl ether synthesis catalysts, processes and reactors. Recent Patents on Catalysis. 2013; 2(1): p. 68 - 81.
G.Moradi, S.Nosrati, F.Yaripor. Effect of the hybrid catalysts preparation method upon direct synthesis of dimethyl ether from synthesis gas. Catalysis Communications. 2007; 8(3): p. 598 - 606.
A.Venugopal, J.Palgunadi, J-K.Deog, O-S.Joo, C-H. Shin. Hydrotalcite derived Cu-Zn-Cr catalysts admixed with γ-Al2O3 for single step dimethyl ether synthesis from syngas: Influence of hydrothermal treatment. Catalysis Today. 2009; 147(2): p. 94 - 99.
Z.Azizi, M.Rezaeimanesh, T.Tohidian, M.R.Rahimpour. Dimethyl ether: A review of technologies and production challenges. Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification. 2014; 82: p. 150 - 172.
S.P.Naik, V.Bui, T.Ryu, J.D.Miller, W.Zmierczak. Al-MCM-41 as methanol dehydration catalyst. Applied Catalysis A: General. 2010; 381(1 - 2): p. 183 - 190.
H.-J.Chen, C.-W.Fan and C.-S.Yu. Analysis, synthesis, and design of a one-step dimethyl ether production via a thermodynamic approach. Applied Energy. 2013; 101: p. 449 - 456.
F.Ramos, A.D.de Farias, L.E.P.Borges, J.Monteiro, M.A.Fraga, E.F.Sousa-Aguiar, L.G.Appel. Role of dehydration catalyst acid properties on one-step DME synthesis over physical mixtures. Catalysis Today. 2005; 101(1): p. 39 - 44.
1. The Author assigns all copyright in and to the article (the Work) to the Petrovietnam Journal, including the right to publish, republish, transmit, sell and distribute the Work in whole or in part in electronic and print editions of the Journal, in all media of expression now known or later developed.
2. By this assignment of copyright to the Petrovietnam Journal, reproduction, posting, transmission, distribution or other use of the Work in whole or in part in any medium by the Author requires a full citation to the Journal, suitable in form and content as follows: title of article, authors’ names, journal title, volume, issue, year, copyright owner as specified in the Journal, DOI number. Links to the final article published on the website of the Journal are encouraged.
