Methanol catalyst deactivation under dual catalytic mode for DME synthesis

Book · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:51929

Lee, B G; Tartamella, T L; Lee, S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Akron, OH (United States)

The liquid phase dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis process (LPDME) involves the synthesis of methanol as an intermediate in the production of DMIE. The process involves the use of a dual catalyst system composed of Cu/ZnO/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and {gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} as the methanol synthesis and DMIE synthesis catalyst respectively. The effect of catalyst deactivation was studied via long term catalyst activity checks to examine the extent of crystal growth and the thermal aging behavior. X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and elemental intensity compositions and the crystallite size distributions of the aged catalysts were examined. Experimental studies have shown that catalyst deactivation is slower when DME synthesis catalyst is coexistent with the methanol synthesis catalyst. This difference in activity is attributed to a decrease in the concentration of the aqueous phase (water and methanol) in the slurry reactor for the production of DME over methanol. Furthermore, the roles of water and methanol in the deactivation of methanol synthesis catalyst have been experimentally determined.

• OSTI ID: 51929
• Report Number(s): CONF-940930--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
CATALYSTS
CATALYTIC EFFECTS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
COPPER
DEACTIVATION
ETHERS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
LIQUID PHASE METHANOL PROCESS
METHANATION
METHANOL
SYNTHESIS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS
ZINC OXIDES