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US 8,133,926 B2Granted
Conversion of carbon dioxide to dimethyl ether using bi-reforming of methane or natural gas
AssigneeUniversity of Southern California
InventorsGeorge A. Olah, G. K. Surya Prakash
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Abstract
The invention provides for a method of forming dimethyl ether by bimolecular dehydration of methanol produced from a mixture of hydrogen and carbon dioxide obtained by reforming of methane, water and carbon dioxide in a ratio of about 3:2:1. Subsequent use of water produced in the dehydration of methanol in the bi-reforming process leads to an overall ratio of carbon dioxide to methane of about 1:3 to produce dimethyl ether.
Claims15
A method of producing dimethyl ether, which comprises:
- combining methane, water and carbon dioxide under reaction conditions sufficient to form a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a ratio of at least 2:1;
- reacting the hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the mixture to form methanol and steam;
- separating some or all of the steam produced during the reaction of hydrogen and carbon monoxide;
- and reacting, in the presence of the steam at least some of which is recycled after being separated, methane and carbon dioxide under reaction conditions sufficient to form dimethyl ether.
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A method for producing dimethyl ether, which comprises:
- combining methane, water and carbon dioxide under reaction conditions sufficient to form a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in a ratio of at least 2:1;
- reacting the hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the mixture to form methanol;
- dehydrating the methanol over a catalyst to produce water;
- and reacting the water produced during the dehydration with methane and carbon dioxide under reaction conditions sufficient to produce dimethyl ether.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.