• 한국가스학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.27-32
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• 2007

Dimethyl Ether (DME, $CH_3OCH_3$) is the simplest ether and is considered as one of the leading candidates in the quest for a substitute fur petroleum-based fuels. In this work, we analyzed the one-step synthesis of DME in a shell and tube type fixed bed reactor and carried out a simulation with a one-dimensional, steady state model of a heterogeneous catalyst bed, while taking into consideration the heat and mass transfer between the catalyst pellets and reactants gas and the effectiveness factor of the catalysts, together with the reactor cooling through the reactor tube wall. The reactor simulation was carried out under steady state condition and we compared the simulation results with the experimental data obtained from operations of a pilot-scale reactor and found good agreement between them.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.158.2-158.2
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• 2011

DME is acronym of dimethyl ether, which is spotlighted as an ideal fuel to produce hydrogen due to its high hydrogen/carbon ratio, high energy density and easiness to carry. In this research, we calculated thermodynamic hydrogen (or syngas) yield from DME autothermal reforming and compared to other fuels. The reforming efficiency was about 80% above $700^{\circ}C$. Lower OCR has higher reforming efficiency but, it requires additional heat supply since the reactions are endothermic. SCR has no significant effect on the reforming efficiency. The optimized condition is $700^{\circ}C$, SCR 1.5, OCR 0.45 without additional heat supply. Comparing to other commercial gaseous fuels (methane and propane), DME has higher selectivity of $H_2O$ and $CO_2$ than the others due to the oxygen atom in the molecule. To apply DME autothermal reforming to real system, a proper catalyst is required. Therefore, it is performed the experiment comparing various novel metal catalysts based on CGO. Experiments were performed at calculated condition. The composition of product was measured and reforming efficiency was calculated. The catalysts have similar efficiency at high temperature(${\sim}800^{\circ}C$) but, CGO-Ru has the highest efficiency at low temperature ($600^{\circ}C$).

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.581-586
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• 2023

As the development of alternative energy is required due to the depletion of fossil fuels, interest in the use of hydrogen energy is increasing. Hydrogen is a promising clean energy source with high energy density and can lead to the application of environmentally friendly technologies. However, due to difficulties in production, storage, and transportation that prevent the application of hydrogen-based eco-friendly technology, research on reforming reactions using dimethyl ether (DME) is being conducted. Unlike other hydrocarbons, DME is attracting attention as a hydrogen carrier because it has excellent storage stability and transportability, and there is no C-C bond in the molecule. The reaction between DME and steam is one of the reforming processes with the highest hydrogen yield in theory at a temperature lower than that of other hydrocarbons. In this study, a hydrogen reforming device using DME was developed and a catalyst prepared by supporting Cu in alumina was put into a reactor to find optimal hydrogen production conditions for supplying hydrogen to fuel cells while changing reaction temperature (300-500℃), pressure (5-10 bar), and steam/carbon ratio (3:1 to 5:1).

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.345-349
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• 2006

Conversion of DME (dimethyl ether) or methanol to light olefins (ethylene, propylene, butenes) over SAPO-34 were systematically studied, where it was observed that DME was dehydrated to light olefins and partially converted to by-products such as CO and $CO_2$ at various reaction temperatures on the time-on-stream. SAPO-34 catalyst during the DTO (dimetyl ether-to-olefins) reaction was significantly deactivated compared with MTO (methanol-toolefins) reaction. By addition of water to the reaction feed, the yield to light olefins was not only increased, but the life time of the catalyst was also prolonged by the suppression of the coke formation by steam.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.301-308
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• 2004

The methane reforming with $CO_2$ and steam for manufacture of synthesis gas over $Ni/ZrO_2$ catalyst was investigated. Mixed reforming carried out $CO_2$ dry reforming with $O_2$ and steam for development of DME process in pilot plant. To improve a catalyst deactivation by coke formation, the mixed reforming added carbon dioxide and steam as a oxidizer of the methane reforming was suggested. The result of experiments over commercial catalyst in $CO_2$ dry reforming has shown that the catalyst activity decrease rapidly after 20 hours. In case of $NiO-MgO/Al_2O_3$ catalyst, the deactivation of 20 percent after 30 hours was occurred. The activity of Ni/C catalyst still was not decreased dramatically after 100 hours. The effect of $H_2$ reforming with steam over $Ni/CO_2$ catalyst obtained the optimal conversion of methane and carbon dioxide, and could be produced synthesis gas at ratio of $H_2/CO$ under 1.5.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.232-239
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• 2011

DME has received much attention because of its possible use as a fuel and a chemical feedstock. Chemical conversion of DME to olefin (DTO) over various SAPO-34 catalysts was carried out using a fixed bed reactor. Main products of the reaction were light olefins such as ethylene, propylene and butenes. The best reaction conditions for high life time of the catalyst and high selectivity of light olefins were a reaction temperature of $400^{\circ}C$ and a WHSV of $3.54h^{-1}$. In addition, it was found that the deactivation of a SAPO-34 catalyst can be significantly suppressed by the addition of $ZrO_2$ as a supporter.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.559-571
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• 2012

Dimethyl ether (DME) is a new clean fuel as an environmentally-benign energy resource. DME can be manufactured from various energy sources including natural gas, coal, and biomass. In addition to its environmentally friendly properties, DME has similar characteristics to those of LPG. The aim of this article is to represent the development of new DME process with KOGAS's own technologies. KOGAS has investigated and developed new innovative DME synthesis process from synthesis gas in gaseous phase fixed bed reactor. DME has been traditionally produced by the dehydration of methanol which is produced from syngas, a product of natural gas reforming. This traditional process is thus called the two-step method of preparing DME. However, DME can also be manufactured directly from syngas (single-step). The single-step method needs only one reactor for the synthesis of DME, instead of two for the two-step process. It can also alleviate the thermodynamic limitations associated with the synthesis of methanol, by converting the produced methanol into DME, thereby potentially enhancing the overall conversion of syngas into DME. KOGAS had launched the 10 ton/day DME demonstration plant project in 2004 at Incheon KOGAS LNG terminal. In the mid of 2008, KOGAS had finished the construction of this plant and has successively finished the demonstration plant operation. And since 2008, we have established the basic design of commercial plant which can produce 3,000 ton/day DME.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2014

Performance tests on $Ni/Ce-ZrO_2/Al_2O_3$ catalysts with additives (MgO, $La_2O_3$) were investigated in the combined reforming processes (SCR, ATR, TRM) in order to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide (it is called "syngas".). The catalyst characterization was conducted using the BET surface analyzer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM, TPR and TGA. The combined reforming process was developed to adjust the syngas ratio depending on the synthetic fuel (methanol, DME and GTL) manufacturing processes. Ni-based catalysts supported on alumina has been generally recommended as a combined reforming reaction catalyst. It was found that both free NiO and complexed NiO species were responsible for the catalytic activity in the combined reforming of methane conversion, and the $Ce-ZrO_2$ binary support employed had improved the oxygen storage capacity and thermal stability. The additives, MgO and $La_2O_3$, also seemed to play an important role to prevent the formation of the carbon deposition over the catalysts. The experimental results were compared with the equilibrium data using a commercial simulation tool (PRO/II).

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.81-89
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• 2009

In this experimental study, the effects of clean alternative fuels compatible with diesel combustion on nano-sized particle emission characteristics were investigated in a 0.5L auto-ignited single-cylinder engine with a compression ratio of 15. Because the number concentration of nano-sized particles emitted by automotive engine, that are suspected of being hazardous to human health and environment, might increase with engine fuel considerably and recently attracted attention. So a ultra-low sulfur diesel(ULSD), BD100(100% bio-diesel) and Di-Methyl Ether(DME) fuels used for this study. And, as a particle measuring instrument, a fast-response particle spectrometer (DMS 500) with heated sample line was used for continuous measurement of the particle size and number distribution in the size range of 5 to 1000nm (aerodynamic diameter). As this research results, we found that this measurements involving the large proportion of particles under size order of 300nm and number concentration of $4{\times}10^9$ allowed a single or bi-modal distribution to be found at different engine load conditions. Also the influence of oxygen content in fuel and the catalyst could be a dominant factor in controlling the nano-sized particle emissions in auto-ignited engine.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.566-572
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• 2007

Two hybrid catalysts for the direct synthesis of DME were prepared and the catalytic activity of these catalysts were investigated. The hybrid catalyst for the direct synthesis of DME was composed as the catalytic active components of methanol synthesis and dehydration. The methanol synthesis catalyst was formed from the precursor contained Cu and Zn, the methanol dehydration catalyst was used ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$. As PM-CZ+D and CP-CZA/D, Two hybrid catalysts were prepared by physical mixing method (PM-CZ+D) and precipitation method (CP-CZA/D), respectively. PM-CZ+D was prepared by physically mixing methanol synthesis catalyst and methanol dehydration catalyst, CP-CZA/D was prepared by depositing Cu-Zn or Cu-Zn-Al components on ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$. The crystallinity and the surface morphology of synthesized catalyst were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to investigate the physical property of prepared catalyst. And BET surface area by $N_2$ adsorption and the surface area of Cu by $N_2O$ chemisorption were investigated about the hybrid catalysts. In addition, catalytic activity of these hybrid catalysts was examined with varying reaction conditions. At that time, the reaction temperature of $250{\sim}290^{\circ}C$, the reaction pressure of 50~70 atm, the $[H_2]/[CO]$ mole ratio of 0.5~2.0 and the space velocity of $1,500{\sim}6,000h^{-1}$ were investigated the catalytic activity. From these results, it was confirmed that the reactivity of CP-CZA/D was higher than that of PM-CZ+D. When the conditions of reaction temperature, pressure, $[H_2]/[CO]$ ratio and space velocity were $260^{\circ}C$, 50 atm and 1.0, $3,000h^{-1}$ respectively, CO conversion using CP-CZA/D hybrid catalyst was 72% and the CO conversion of CP-CZA/D was more than 20% compared with the CO conversion of PM-CZ+D. It was known that Cu surface area of CP-CZA/D hybrid catalyst was higher than that of hybrid PM-CZ+D catalyst using $N_2O$ chemisorption. It was assumed that the catalytic activity was improved because Cu particle of hybrid catalyst prepared by precipitation method was well dispersed.