Method and apparatus for producing dimethyl ether
AssigneeNKK Corporation
InventorsTsutomu Shikada, Yotaro Ohno, Takashi Ogawa, Masatsugu Mizuguchi, Masami Ono, Kaoru Fujimoto
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Abstract
A method for producing dimethyl ether by forming a slurry by introducing a catalyst into a solvent and introducing a mixed gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen into the slurry. The catalyst comprises alumina particles having an average size of 200 .mu.m or less and a methanol synthesis catalyst layer formed around each of the alumina particles. The methanol synthesis catalyst has a weight ratio of 0.05 to 5 to a weight of the alumina particles. The catalyst is produced by forming a layer comprising a methanol synthesis catalyst around each of the alumina particles.
Claims18
A method for producing dimethyl ether comprising:
- providing a catalyst for producing dimethyl ether, the catalyst comprising:
- alumina particles having an average size of 200 .mu.m or less;
- a layer comprising a methanol synthesis catalyst, the layer being formed around each of the alumina particles;
- and
- a weight ratio of the methanol synthesis catalyst to the alumina particles being 0.05 to 5;
- forming a slurry by introducing the catalyst into a solvent;
- and
- introducing a mixed gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen into the slurry.
A method for producing dimethyl ether, the method comprises introducing a mixed gas comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen into a catalyst which is produced by a process comprising:
- (a) preparing a methanol synthesis catalyst, a methanol dehydration catalyst, a water gas shift catalyst and a solvent;
- (b) calculating an A value with respect of the methanol synthesis catalyst, the methanol dehydration catalyst and the water gas shift catalyst, based on an average catalyst particle size of the catalyst, a catalyst particle density and a density of the solvent, the A value being defined by the following equation:
- A=D.sup.2 (P-S),
- where D denotes the average catalyst particle size in cm,
- P denotes the catalyst particle density in g/cm.sup.3, and
- S denotes the density of the solvent in g/cm.sup.3,
- (c) controlling at least one of the group consisting of the average catalyst particle size, the catalyst particle density and the density of the solvent, to maintain differences in the A value within .+-.1.times.10.sup.-6 g/cm among the methanol synthesis catalyst, the methanol dehydration catalyst and the water gas shift catalyst;
- (d) after step (c), suspending the methanol synthesis catalyst, the methanol dehydration catalyst and the water gas shift catalyst in the solvent.
A method for producing dimethyl ether comprising
- (a) providing a mixed gas containing carbon monoxide and at least one gas selected from the group of hydrogen and water vapor;
- (b) contacting the mixed gas with a first catalyst consisting essentially of
- (i) a layer comprising a methanol synthesis catalyst formed around alumina particles having an average a size of 200 .mu.m or less, wherein a weight ratio of the methanol synthesis catalyst to the alumina particles is 0.05 to 5,
- (ii) a dehydration catalyst and
- (iii) a water gas shift catalyst;
- and
- (c) contacting the mixed gas from step (b) with a second catalyst, said second catalyst consisting essentially of at least one catalyst selected from the group of a dehydration catalyst and a water gas shift catalyst.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.