Low pressure dimethyl ether synthesis catalyst
OwnerMichael Cheiky, Rajashekharam Malyalainventors
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Abstract
A catalyst and process for synthesis of dimethyl ether from synthesis gas are disclosed. The catalyst and process allow dimethyl ether synthesis at low pressures (below 20 bars) at a conversion rate close to the expected equilibrium rate. The catalyst is a combination of a methanol synthesis catalyst and a methanol dehydration catalyst, wherein the dehydration catalyst is a mixture of dehydration agents which allow optimum production of dimethyl ether.
Claims20
A catalyst composition for the synthesis of dimethyl ether from synthesis gas, comprising:
- a methanol synthesis component comprising co-precipitated metal components containing Cu, Zn and Al, wherein an atomic ratio of Al to Cu is 0.05 to 2 and an atomic ratio of Al to Zn is 0.1 to 1;
- and
- a dehydration component comprising a mixture of dehydrating agents selected from at least two of the group consisting of:
- silica alumina, kaolin, gamma alumina, aluminum silicate, montmorillonite, mullite, mesostructured aluminosilicate, and zeolites;
- wherein the dehydration component is separately calcined from the methanol synthesis component and the dehydrating agents are selected to yield a CO conversion rate to dimethyl ether exceeding 60% at reaction pressures below 20 bar at temperatures above 220° C. and below 300° C.
A method of producing dimethyl ether from synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the method comprising:
- contacting the synthesis gas with a catalyst;
- wherein the catalyst comprises:
- a methanol synthesis component comprising co-precipitated metal components containing Cu, Zn and Al, wherein an atomic ratio of Al to Cu is 0.05 to 2 and an atomic ratio of Al to Zn is 0.1 to 1;
- and
- a dehydration component comprising a mixture of dehydrating agents selected from at least two of the group consisting of silica alumina, kaolin, gamma alumina, aluminum silicate, montmorillonite, mullite, mesostructured aluminosilicate, and zeolites;
- wherein the dehydration component is separately calcined from the methanol synthesis component and the dehydrating agents are selected to yield a CO conversion rate to dimethyl ether exceeding 60% at reaction pressures below 20 bar at temperatures above 220° C. and below 300° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.