Thermodynamic Attainable Region for Direct Synthesis of Dimethyl Ether from Synthesis Gas

Authors: Thulane Paepae, Tumisang Seodigeng

Abstract:

This paper demonstrates the use of a method of synthesizing process flowsheets using a graphical tool called the GH-plot and in particular, to look at how it can be used to compare the reactions of a combined simultaneous process with regard to their thermodynamics. The technique uses fundamental thermodynamic principles to allow the mass, energy and work balances locate the attainable region for chemical processes in a reactor. This provides guidance on what design decisions would be best suited to developing new processes that are more effective and make lower demands on raw material and energy usage.

Keywords: Attainable region, dimethyl ether synthesis, mass balance, optimal reaction networks.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1125135

References:

[1] Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation. Energy Report, (2011).
[2] International Energy Agency (IEA, 2007). Tracking Industrial Energy Efficiency and CO2 Emissions. Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development/ International Energy Agency (OECD/ IEA), 23-25.
[3] Patel, B., D. Hildebrandt, D. Glasser, Hausberger, B. (2005). Thermodynamics analysis of processes. 1. Implications of work integration. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 44, 3529-3537.
[4] Patel, B., Hildebrandt, D. & Glasser, D. (2010). An overall thermodynamic view of processes: Comparison of fuel producing processes. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 88, 844-860.
[5] Hildebrandt, D., D. Glasser, B. Hausberger, Patel, B. & Glasser, B. (2009). Invited perspectives article. Producing transportation fuels with less work. Science, 323, 1680-1681.
[6] Leonard U. O., Hildebrandt, D., Glasser, D., & Patel, B. (2012). Attainable regions for a reactor: Application of ΔH-ΔG plot. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 90, 1590-1609.
[7] Glasser, D., Hildebrandt, D. & Crow, C. A. (1987). A geometric approach to steady flow reactors: the attainable region and optimization in concentration space. Industrial Engineering Chemical Resource, 26, 1803-1810.
[8] Shinnar, R., & Feng, C. A. (1985). Structure of complex catalytic reactions: thermodynamic constraints in kinetic modeling and catalyst evaluation. Industrial & engineering chemistry fundamentals, 24(2), 153-170.
[9] Shinnar, R. (1988). Plenary paper received too late to be included at front of issue: Thermodynamic analysis in chemical process and reactor design. Chemical engineering science, 43(8), 2303-2318.
[10] Annamalai, K., Puri, I. K., & Jog, M. A. (2010). Advanced thermodynamics engineering. CRC Press.
[11] Lien, K., & Perris, T. (1996). Industry & academia rebuilding the partnership. Computers & chemical engineering, 20, S1545-S1550.
[12] Peng, X. D., Toseland, B. A., Wang, A. W., & Parris, G. E. (1997, September). Progress in development of LPDME process: kinetics and catalysts. In Proceedings of the Coal Liquefaction & Solid Fuels Contractors Review Conference, Pittsburgh.
[13] Chen, L., Nolan, R., Avadhany, S., & Ghoniem, A. F. (2009). Thermodynamic analysis of coal to synthetic natural gas process. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
[14] Hardiman, K. (2001). Methanol synthesis from biogas: thermodynamics, computer simulation, and economic evaluation.
[15] Li, M., Hu, S., Li, Y., & Shen, J. (2000). A hierarchical optimization method for reaction path synthesis. Industrial & engineering chemistry research, 39(11), 4315-4319.
[16] Gogate, M. (1992). A Novel Single-step Dimethyl Ether Synthesis Process from Syngas. PhD Thesis, University of Akron.
[17] Azizi, Z., Rezaeimanesh, M., Tohidian, T., & Rahimpour, M. R. (2014). Dimethyl ether: A review of technologies and production challenges. Chemical Engineering and Processing, 82, 150-172.
[18] Nie, Z., Liu, H., Liu, D., Ying, W., & Fang, D. (2005). Intrinsic kinetics of dimethyl ether synthesis from syngas. Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry, 14, 22-28
[19] Xiao, W.D., Lu, W.Z. (2002). A novel technology of DME synthesis from syngas. Elsevier Science Publishers B. V., Amsterdam, 8 (1991), 279-304.
[20] Liu, L., Huang, W., Gao, Z., & Yin, L. (2010). The dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether over novel slurry catalyst, energy sources, part A: recovery, utilization, and environmental effects. 32, 1379-1387.
[21] Smith, E. B. (1990). Basic chemical thermodynamics. 4th edition. Oxford.
[22] Smith, J. M., Van Ness, H. C., & Abbott, M. M. (2005). Introduction to chemical engineering thermodynamics. 7th ed. McGraw-Hill, New York.
[23] Warn, J. R. W., & Peters, A. P. H. (1996). Concise Chemical Thermodynamics. 2nd edition.
[24] Mpela, A. N. (2008). A process synthesis approach to low-pressure methanol/dimethyl ether co-production from syngas over gold-based catalysts. PhD Thesis, Republic of South Africa: University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
[25] Chen, W., Lin, B., Lee, H., & Huang M. (2012). One-step synthesis of dimethyl ether from the gas mixture containing CO2 with high space velocity. Applied Energy, 98, 92-101