CURRENT STATUS OF DIMETHYL ETHER (DME)

AS FUEL IN INDONESIA

DME 16-11-2011 1

Unggul Priyanto

Deputy of Chairman for Information, Energy, and Material Agency for Assessment and Application of Technology

November 16, 2011

BACKGROUND

• The increase in fuel demand .

• Fuel price which tend to increase and unstable.

• The existence of kerosene to LPG conversion

program in Indonesia.

• The limited supply of LPG feedstock in Indonesia.

• DME is an alternative fuel that can be used as a

mixture or substitution of LPG.

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DME Utilization

3

DME

Substitution

for

Diesel

LPG

Power plant

Chemical

intermediate

Natural Gas

Coal

Biomass

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PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF DME &

OTHER FUELS

4

Physical Properties DME Propane N-Butane i-Butane

Chemical formula CH3OCH3 C3H8 n-C4H10 i-C4H10

Net Calorific Value (kcal/kg) 6.900 11.100 10.930 10.930

Cetane Number 55 - 60 5 10 10

Boiling Point (°C) - 25 - 42 - 0.5 - 11.7

Liquid Density (kg/l, 25 °C) 0,67 0,49 0,57 0,5

Viscosity (kg/m.s, 25 °C) 0,12 – 0,15 0,2 0,2 0,2

Vapor Pressure (atm, 25C) 6,1 9,3 2,4 3,0

Burning Velocity (cm/s) 50 43 41 41

Ignition Temperature 350oC 504oC 430oC 460oC

Flash Point (°C) - 41 - 104 - 60 - 60

Specific Gravity 1,59 1,52 2,0 2,0

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LPG Production Based on Resources

Reference : Outlook Energi Indonesia 2010

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Projection of Production, Import, Export and Consumption of LPG

Reference : Outlook Energi Indonesia 2010

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Supply-Demand of LPG (DME Development)

Note : It is assumed that DME can substitute 20% of total LPG consumption in Indonesia on

2012, thus DME very potential to reduce LPG import up to 36%. (Reference: ESDM)

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The Assessment of DME Utilization as LPG Substitute in Domestic Sector

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CALORIFIC VALUE OF LPG-DME BLEND

No. Composition of LPG-DME

Blend

Calorific Value (kcal/kg)

1. 0% DME (LPG 100%) 11667 (CV of LPG)

2. 20% DME 10615

3. 50% DME 9135

4. 80% DME 7762

5. 100% DME 6900 (CV of DME)

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Gas

Component

Blending Variable

0% DME 20% DME 50% DME 80% DME 100% DME

Gas Liquid Gas Liquid Gas Liquid Gas Liquid Gas Liquid

Etane 0,40 0,1 0,30 0,09 0,34 0,10 0,15 0,02 0 0

Propane 55,2 37,9 49,4 36,1 27,9 19,7 13,2 7,18 0 0

DME 0 0 22,1 21,7 55,2 51,3 80,4 81,0 100 100

Butane 44,4 62,0 28,2 42,1 16,6 28,9 6,2 11,8 0 0

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

The Composition of LPG-DME Blend Based On GC

Analysis in Gas Phase and Liquid Phase

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The Composition of DME 20% Blend with LPG When it is

used in the stove

Gas Phase

Gas Component Sampling period (hour -)

0 1 3 6 11

Etane 0,30 0,30 0,20 0,10 0,04

Propane 49,4 48,9 48,8 46,7 41,8

DME 22,1 21,4 21,3 20,5 19,4

Butane 28,2 29,4 29,8 32,7 38,8

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Liquid Phase

Gas Component Sampling period (hour -)

0 1 3 6 11

Etane 0,09 0,08 0,04 0,02 0,0

Propane 36,1 33,5 31,5 29,8 27,1

DME 21,7 21,0 20,6 20,0 19,8

Butane 42,1 45,4 47,8 50,2 53,1

Total 100 100 100 100 100

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The Composition of DME 50%

Blend with LPG When it is used in the stove Gas Phase

Liquid Phase

Gas Component Sampling period (hour -)

0 1 3 6 11

Etane 0,34 0,31 0,22 0,13 0,05

Propane 27,9 27,2 25,5 23,3 22,0

DME 55,2 54,5 54,1 53,7 52,7

Butane 16,6 18,0 20,2 23,0 25,2

Total 100 100 100 100 100

Gas Component Sampling period (hour -)

0 1 3 6 11

Etane 0,09 0,09 0,05 0,03 0,0

Propane 19,7 19,2 16,3 15,4 12,5

DME 51,2 51,1 50,1 51,1 48,6

Butane 28,9 29,6 33,6 33,5 38,9

Total 100 100 100 100 100

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Corrosion study on

LPG cylinder 3 kg, 12 kg and 50 kg

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Corrosion test on metal component of LPG cylinder 3 kg, 12 kg and 50 kg results in fact that corrosion rate on those cylinder is insignificant. Hence, storage of either LPG-DME blend or DME 100% in LPG cylinder 3 kg, 12 kg and 50 kg currently used are considered safe and feasible.*

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* Pertamina Sources

Establishment Plan of DME Plant

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Existing and Proposed DME Project in Indonesia

• DME Plant in Tangerang with capacity of 3,000 ton/year,

using methanol as feedstock, owned by PT. Bumi Tangerang

Gas Industri

• Pertamina and PT Arrtue Mega Energie planned to build

DME plant with capacity of 840,000 ton/year in Cilegon,

Banten, and Eretan, West Java using methanol as feedstock.

Plant is being scheduled to starts up in first quarter of 2012.*

• Ferrostaal AG (Germany) planned to invest US$ 900 million

to build DME plant with capacity of 200,000 ton/year and

methanol plant with capacity of 1,000,000 ton/year in West

Papua, using LNG from Tangguh as feedstock. Plant is being

scheduled to operate in 2016.*

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* Pertamina Sources

Establishment Plan of DME Plant in Indonesia

DME Plant owned by

PT Artue Mega Energi

DME Plant owned

by Ferrostaal AG

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Pertamina Sources

1. The use of DME-LPG blend with DME composition varies

from 20% to 30% needs slight modification on stove and

non metal material.

2. The optimum and most efficient way to use of LPG-DME

blend lies in 50% LPG-DME blend, but it need material

replacement and modification in stove design.

3. The use of LPG-DME blend with DME composition above

50% are not able to keep both the efficiency and its

calorific value (not feasible).

CONCLUSION

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THANK YOU

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