skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Dimethyl ether production from methanol and/or syngas

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1170379
; ; ;

Disclosed are methods for producing dimethyl ether (DME) from methanol and for producing DME directly from syngas, such as syngas from biomass. Also disclosed are apparatus for DME production. The disclosed processes generally function at higher temperatures with lower contact times and at lower pressures than conventional processes so as to produce higher DME yields than do conventional processes. Certain embodiments of the processes are carried out in reactors providing greater surface to volume ratios than the presently used DME reactors. Certain embodiments of the processes are carried out in systems comprising multiple microchannel reactors.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC0576RL01830
Assignee:
Battelle Memorial Institute (Richland, WA)
Patent Number(s):
8,957,259
Application Number:
11/241,321
OSTI ID:
1170379
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (12)

Conversion of modified synthesis gas to oxygenated organic chemicals patent March 1977
Catalytic preparation of dimethyl ether patent August 1986
Liquid phase process for dimethyl ether synthesis patent June 1993
Bioconversion of waste biomass to useful products patent October 1998
Apparatus for producing dimethyl ether patent May 2003
Method and apparatus for obtaining enhanced production rate of thermal chemical reactions patent September 2003
Syngas conversion and catalyst system employed therefor patent October 2003
Use of microchannel reactors in combinatorial chemistry patent-application December 2002
Methods of making, positioning and orienting nanostructures, nanostructure arrays and nanostructure devices patent-application January 2004
Kinetic studies of methanol steam reforming over Pd/ZnO catalyst using a microchannel reactor journal May 2004
Conversion of Biomass Syngas to DME Using a Microchannel Reactor journal March 2005
Changes of Surface Properties and Water-Tolerant Catalytic Activity of Solid Acid Cs 2.5 H 0.5 PW 12 O 40 in Water journal January 1998

Similar Records

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY