Page 52 - Impiantistica Industriale - Settembre Ottobre 2014
P. 52
• (COMsCuO+l=p2Ch(=HuOr222)<.–5= DiMethil Ether (DME) was first used in the 1960s
• as a propellant in consumer products. Its use as
• a diesel fuel substitute was recognized in the mid-
1990s and interest has grown since.
• inerts = minimum
A potentially large volume application of
Fig. 8 – Antoine Lavoisier All processes contain a gas DME is as a fuel. It can be used as fuel in
(1743 – 1794) purification section to remove
impurities, primarily sulphur, diesel engines, gasoline engines
which could poison the catalysts. (30% DME / 70% LPG blend),
A distillation section, two or
three stages, is then employed and gas turbines.
to remove impurities from the
crude methanol produced in the A potentially large volume application of DME is as
synthesis section to meet product specification. a fuel. It can be used as fuel in diesel engines, ga-
The global methanol demand is about 57 soline engines (30% DME / 70% LPG blend), and
million tons/year, and the price, often subject to gas turbines.
“rollercoaster” behaviour is around 550-630 $/ton. DME is currently produced in a two-step process: na-
Formaldehyde is the single largest consumer of tural gas is firstly converted into methanol then the
methanol in the world, accounting for around methanol is dehydrated to form DME (figure 12).
30% of global demand in 2013. MTBE accounts The DME market demand in 2010 was around 2.1
for approximately 11% of world methanol Mt/y, with over 90% of that demand in China. This
consumption, and acetic acid represents around demand is expected to rise to 20 Mt/y by 2020.
Fig. 9 - Four basic sections
of modern hydrogen plants
Fig. 10 - Methanol production
process based on natural gas
Impiantistica Italiana - Settembre - Ottobre 2014 51
• as a propellant in consumer products. Its use as
• a diesel fuel substitute was recognized in the mid-
1990s and interest has grown since.
• inerts = minimum
A potentially large volume application of
Fig. 8 – Antoine Lavoisier All processes contain a gas DME is as a fuel. It can be used as fuel in
(1743 – 1794) purification section to remove
impurities, primarily sulphur, diesel engines, gasoline engines
which could poison the catalysts. (30% DME / 70% LPG blend),
A distillation section, two or
three stages, is then employed and gas turbines.
to remove impurities from the
crude methanol produced in the A potentially large volume application of DME is as
synthesis section to meet product specification. a fuel. It can be used as fuel in diesel engines, ga-
The global methanol demand is about 57 soline engines (30% DME / 70% LPG blend), and
million tons/year, and the price, often subject to gas turbines.
“rollercoaster” behaviour is around 550-630 $/ton. DME is currently produced in a two-step process: na-
Formaldehyde is the single largest consumer of tural gas is firstly converted into methanol then the
methanol in the world, accounting for around methanol is dehydrated to form DME (figure 12).
30% of global demand in 2013. MTBE accounts The DME market demand in 2010 was around 2.1
for approximately 11% of world methanol Mt/y, with over 90% of that demand in China. This
consumption, and acetic acid represents around demand is expected to rise to 20 Mt/y by 2020.
Fig. 9 - Four basic sections
of modern hydrogen plants
Fig. 10 - Methanol production
process based on natural gas
Impiantistica Italiana - Settembre - Ottobre 2014 51
