• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.41-45
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• 2010

The physical properties of DME(Dimethyl Ether) are very similar to LPG and well-mixed. As cetane number of DME is similar to diesel fuel that can replace diesel fuel and alternative energy. DME is a clean energy source that can be manufactured from various raw materials such as natural gas, CBM(Coal Bed Methane) and biomass. DME has no carbon-carbon bond in its molecular structure and its combustion essentially generates no soot as well as no SOx. The development of DME process in KOGAS have 4 section. First, syngas section can be manufactured various syngas ratio. This completes the tri-reforming process for the synthesis gas ratio of approximately 4.0 to 1.0 range can be adjusted. Second, $CO_2$ is removed from the $CO_2$ removal section of about 92~99%, so the maximum concentration of $CO_2$ entering the DME synthesis reactor should not exceed 8%. Third, in the DME synthesis section, if the temperature of DME reactor increases, the activity of DME catalyst increased. but for the long-term activity is desirable to maintain the proper temperature. Finally, the purity of DME in the DME purification section is over 99.6%.

• 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.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.125-131
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• 2006

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, biomass and spent plastic. In addition to its environmentally friendly properties, DME has similar characteristics to those of LPG. Therefore, it is considered as an excellent substitute fuel for LPG, fuel cells, power plant, and especially diesel and is expected to be the alternative fuel by 2010. The experimental study of the direct synthesis of DME was investigated under various conditions over a temperature range of $220{\sim}280^{\circ}C$, syngas ratio 1.2~3.0. All experiments were carried out with a hybrid catalyst, composed of a methanol synthesis catalyst ($Cu/ZnO/Al_2O_3$) and a dehydration catalyst (${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$). The observed reaction rate follows qualitatively a Langmiur-Hinshellwood model as the reaction mechanism. Such a mechanism is considered with three reactions; methanol synthesis, methanol dehydration and water gas shift reaction. From a surface reaction with dissociative adsorption of hydrogen, methanol, and water, individual reaction rate was determined.

• 한국가스학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.24-26
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• 2007

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.792-795
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• 2007

본 연구 목적은 석탄 가스화를 통해 얻어진 합성가스를 이용하여 국내에서 개발된 DME 합성 촉매를 사용하여 DME 전환 공정에 대한 특성을 파악하는 것이다. 특히, DME 합성 반응에 가장 큰 영향을 미치는 합성 반응로의 온도 제어를 위하여 thermosyphon 시스템을 개발하여 DME 합성 반응에 최적온도로 알려진 $230{\sim}260^{\cdot}C$ 범위에서 제어가 가능함을 확인 하였다. 석탄 40 kg/h를 공급하였을 때 합성가스 유량은 $80{\sim}100$ $Nm^3/h$ 정도를 얻었다. DME 합성 반응에 사용한 촉매는 합성가스로부터 메탄올을 얻기 위한 촉매와 메탄올의 탈수 촉매(Cu/Zn/Al+r-$Al_2O_3$)를 혼합한 촉매를 사용하였다. DME 합성 반응로의 GHSV(1/kg$^{\cdot}C$cat h)는 $2500{\sim}3000$ 정도이며, 운전 압력 60기압에서 $H_2$ 전환율 $65{\sim}75%$, DME 선택도는 $69{\sim}79%$ 정도를 얻었다.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.119-128
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• 2004

DME(Dimethyl Ether) was directly produced from the synthesis gas using the slurry phase reactor. The catalyst for DME production prepared two types (A type; Cu:Zn:Al=57:33:10, B type; Cu:Zn:Al=40:45:15, molar ratio). It was evaluated for the effect of the reaction medium oil using the small size slurry phase reactor. DME production yield and the methanol selectivity decreased in the order: n-hexadecane oil> mineral oil> therminol oil. The long-term test of DME production was carried out using A and B type catalyst, and n-hexadecane oil and mineral oil, respectively. It was confirmed that the use of A type for the catalyst and n-hexadecane for the reaction medium oil was very useful for the viewpoint of the DME production form the synthesis gas.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.8-14
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• 2009

Dimethyl ether(DME) was synthesized from synthesis gas by a one-step process in which a hybrid catalyst was used. The hybrid catalyst consisted of Cu-ZnO-$Al_2O_3$ for the methanol synthesis reaction and aluminum phosphate or $H_3PO_4$-modified $\gamma$-alumina for the methanol dehydration reaction. The prepared catalysts were characterized by XRD, BET, SEM, FT-IR and $NH_3$-TPD. From the XRD analysis, it was verified that the aluminum phosphate was successfully synthesized. The specific surface areas of the synthesized aluminum phosphates were varied with the ratio of P/Al. The hybrid catalyst in which P/Al ratio of the aluminum phosphate was 1.2 showed the highest CO conversion of 55% and DME selectivity of 70%. There was no remarkable decrease in catalytic activity with the phosphoric acid treatment of $\gamma$-alumina. However, when treated with concentrated phosphoric acid(85%), the catalytic activity and DME selectivity decreased.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 2004

The single-step process for conversion of syngas to DME give higher conversion than the syngas-to-methanol process. This arises because of a synergy among the three simultaneous reaction, methanol synthesis, methanol dehydration and water gas shift reaction, in the process. we would find the optimal condition of the process which these advantages. The optimal condition of DME synthesis reaction over a commercial $Cu/Zn/Al_2O_3$ catalyst and Hybrid catalyst in a fixed bed reactor. The syngas-to-dimethyl ether conversion was examined on various reaction condition (Temperature 473~553K, $H_2/CO$ ratio 1~3, Pressure 30'50atm, GHSV 1000~4000).

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.173-182
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• 2014

Dimethyl ether (DME) is a new clean fuel as an environmentally-being energy resources. DME has similar characteristics to those of LPG and can be substituted Diesel fuel. KOGAS has investigated and developed new innovative DME synthesis process from synthesis gas with KOGAS's own technologies. KOGAS had finished the construction of 10ton/day DME demonstration plant in 2008, we have established the basic design of commercial plant which can produce 3,000ton/day DME. Specifically, an economic model for a commercial DME project will be presented. It accounts for all the major cost factors that are considered in a commercial scale project as the model input for performing cash flow analysis, after which key economic indicators are produced including the internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV). Sensitivity analysis is performed to identify dominant cost factors to the project economics and quantify their impact. The inputs to the economic analysis will be based on representative cost factors from the commercial-scale design of KOGAS' direct DME process supplemented by literature data. Case study results will be presented based on recent commercialization projects.

• Clean Technology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.237-247
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• 2017

In the dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis and separation process, over 8% by mole of $CO_2$ is fed to the DME synthesis reactor which lowers DME productivity. Therefore, this work focused on the removal of $CO_2$ using three kinds of processes with physical absorbents by comparing the utility consumption through computer simulation of each process. Among the processes selected for comparison are Rectisol$^{(R)}$ process using methanol, Purisol$^{(R)}$ process using n-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP), and SelexolTM process using dimethyl ethers of polyethylene glycol (DEPG) as a solvent. As a result of this study, it was concluded that Purisol$^{(R)}$ process consumes the least energy followed by SelexolTM process. Therefore, it is considered that Purisol$^{(R)}$ process is the most suitable method to absorb $CO_2$ contained in the feed of DME synthesis reactor.