U of Akron: Methanol-to-Gasoline vs. DME-to-Gasoline

Methanol-to-gasoline vs. DME-to-gasoline. II: Process comparison and analysis

This, the Methanol vs. Dimethyl Ether, as a raw material from which to make gasoline, debate, might seem just an arcane scientific concern being kicked about by academic eggheads; an argument of little import to us non-ivory tower types toiling away in Coal Country - except for the fact that what these Akron University scientists are actually contending over herein is the most profitable route to follow in making gasoline from coal.

 

Read carefully, comment follows: 

Methanol-to-gasoline vs. DME-to-gasoline. II: Process comparison and analysis

SUNGGYU LEE ; GOGATE M. ; KULIK C. J. ;

Univ. Akron, dep. chemical eng., process res. cent., Akron OH 44325-3906, ETATS-UNIS

Journal

Fuel science & technology international; 1995, vol. 13; pp. 1039-1057 

Abstract

Methanol can be converted into gasoline boiling range hydrocarbons over zeolite ZSM-5 catalyst using the Mobil MTG process. Methanol feed in the MTG process can be derived from coal or natural gas based syngas. The Mobil MTG process involves the conversion steps of syngas-to-methanol and methanol-to-gasoline. Dimethyl Ether (DME), a product of methanol dehydrocondensation, is an intermediate species in the methanol-to-gasoline conversion. Syngas can be directly converted to DME using the Liquid Phase Dimethyl Ether Synthesis (LP-DME) process developed at the University of Akron in conjunction with Electric Power Research Institute. This direct one-step conversion of syngas-to-DME can then be an ideal front end for further conversion to gasoline. This substitution (syngas-to-methanol by syngas-to-DME) is justified because DME results in an identical hydrocarbon distribution over the ZSM-5 catalyst as methanol. The DME-to-Gasoline (DTG) process thus involves the conversion steps of syngas-to-DME and DME-to gasoline. The UA/EPRI DTG process offers advantages over the Mobil MTG process in several areas. These include heat duty and heat of reaction, adiabatic temperature rise, hydrocarbon product yield and selectivity, syngas conversion, and overall process efficiency. The conceptual benefits of the DTG process have been demonstrated experimentally in a fluidized bed reactor system operative at the University of Akron. The salient features of the DTG process and process comparison to the Mobil MTG process are discussed in this paper." 

 

Well, a few things are clear, aren't they? Let's apply some old West Virginia technology and distill the essence:

 

"Methanol can be converted into gasoline" and  "Methanol ... can be derived from coal".

 

Moreover:

 

"Syngas (from coal - JtM) can be directly converted to DME" and  "DME can then be ... ideal ... for further conversion to gasoline".

 

Actually, as opposed to spending any more of our national treasure on OPEC oil, either method sounds "ideal" to us.