SYNTHESIS OF DME FROM NATURAL GAS

摘要

Di-Methyl Ether (DME) has been focused as potential fuels for transportation, domestic use, and power generation because its physical properties and combustion feature are suitable. DME is a colorless gas with a boiling point of -25 degree centigrade, chemically stable and easily liquefied under pressure. These physical properties of DME are similar to those of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). So DME can be handled and stored just like as LPG DME is a clean fuel that contains no sulfur or nitrogen compounds, has extremely low toxicity, and has no corrosive effect to metals. JFE group began basic research and developed a new catalyst for the slurry phase synthesis of DME in 1989. In 1995, JFE group established a small-scale bench plant which capacity was 50 kgs per day. In 1997, a large-scale bench plant, which produced approximately 5 tons per day, was constructed to develop a new, highly efficient, DME synthesis process. Pilot plant for DME production will commence operation this December, which has capacity of 100 tons per day.