The successful production of dimethyl ether by a single process of nitrogen fertilizer can reduce the energy consumption compared with the two-step method, and avoid one-step decarburization, achieving high quality, high output, and low consumption.
On March 1st, a reporter learned from the Henan Province Fertilizer Industry Company that its first application of the double-tower two-step one-step synthesis process technology has been successfully implemented at Hebei Qiu County Longgang Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. The facility produces 10,000 tons of dimethyl ether annually, including refined dimethyl ether products. Since the successful launch, by the end of February, the company has already received dozens of inquiries from companies interested in technology transfer and collaboration.
It is known that China's early industrial production of dimethyl ether relied on methanol dehydration using sulfuric acid. However, this method caused severe corrosion and environmental pollution, leading to its gradual phase-out. Currently, the main domestic method for producing dimethyl ether is the gas-phase catalytic dehydration of methanol, also known as the two-step method. While this approach reduces corrosion and pollution, it requires high energy input and results in high costs, with product prices directly influenced by the methanol market, making it vulnerable to risks.
The one-step process, on the other hand, allows direct synthesis of dimethyl ether through a catalyst bed, using carbon monoxide and hydrogen generated via a dual-catalyst reaction. Compared to the two-step method, the one-step process offers better economic benefits. However, due to a shift reaction similar to that in synthetic ammonia plants, it generates more carbon dioxide, requiring additional investment in decarbonization equipment and increasing raw material consumption and overall costs.
The new double-tower two-step one-step synthesis process technology makes full use of the utility resources of nitrogenous fertilizer enterprises, along with the heat from methanol synthesis and dimethyl ether synthesis, to facilitate the dehydration reaction of dimethyl ether. It also uses the heat from the dimethyl ether reaction for distillation, significantly reducing energy consumption compared to the traditional two-step method. Additionally, it avoids the conversion reaction found in the one-step method, enabling high-quality, high-yield, and low-consumption production of dimethyl ether.
With minimal equipment modifications, small and medium-sized fertilizer companies can transition into leading producers of dimethyl ether.
According to reports, this technology consumes only about 1.6 tons of crude methanol and 1.3 tons of steam per ton of dimethyl ether. The conversion rate exceeds 75%, and the process is simple, requiring only three additional pieces of equipment. For a plant with an annual output of 10,000 tons, the investment is within 3 million yuan. The product quality meets 99.9% of the standards for high-purity dimethyl ether.
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The successful production of dimethyl ether by a single process of nitrogen fertilizer can reduce the energy consumption compared with the two-step method, and avoid one-step decarburization, achieving high quality, high output, and low consumption.