Modular Dimethyl Ether (DME) Production

H – C – O – C – H

H

H——

H

H——

DiME 200Site specific option

Aggregated option

Ravi Randhava, PhD

Unitel Technologies, Inc.

rr.unitel@gmail.com

Natural Gas Monetization

Shale gas has created a revolution in the natural gas industry. Gas supplies are more plentiful than ever and prices are low.

Over the last decade, new fracking technologies have created a paradigm shift in the natural gas industry.

Enormous reserves have been discovered in shale deposits not only in the US but all over the world.

Natural gas today is currently priced around $3.00/MMBtu.

Kerosene/naphtha/diesel oil prices are currently running at ~$18.00/MMBtu.

This price difference has created totally new opportunities for themonetization of inexpensive natural gas.

Monetization Options Dimethyl Ether (DME)

An increasingly important fuel can be made by dehydrating

methanol or directly by adjusting the H2/CO ratio in

the reformer.

GasolineNatural gas is converted into

methanol which is made into gasoline.

Gas to Liquids: GTLRequires world scale facilities. Natural gas is converted into

syngas and then heavy hydrocarbons which are hydrocracked into lighter

products.

Ammonia & Urea

Natural gas is reformed and

shifted to yield ammonia that

may be reacted with CO2 to make urea.

Production of electric power using combined cycle technologies. This is a threat that may drive up prices.

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG): Requires massive facilities, dedicated infrastructure & large investments in shipping.

Dimethyl Ether (DME)

DME is emerging as the optimal energy vector for the 21st century.

DME has a high oxygen content and no carbon-to-carbon bonds.

A 1:1 replacement fuel for diesel engines.

The potential of DME is particularly logical for oil and gas poor countries.It is much more environmentally friendly than conventional hydrocarbonderived fuels.

DME readily converts to yield polymer grade propylene. Yields of around45% per pass can be obtained. The non-propylene conversion productscan be recycled to extinction.

A study of in-tank energy costs shows that gasoline costs about$18/MMBtu, LPG costs about $17/MMBtu and DME costs about $10/MMBtu.

Applications

dme

Residential uses --

replaces LPGChemicals

& propellants

Heat recovery cycles

Power generation (Braytoncycles)

Fuel cells

Conversion to polymer

grade propylene

Transport: diesel

engines

Conversion to gasoline

H – C – O – C – H

H

H——

H

H——

Monetization via DME

NATURAL GAS

STEAM METHANE

REFORMER (SMR)

DIMETHYL ETHER (DME)

PROPYLENE

GASOLINE

Fuel for Diesel Engines

LPG Additive and/or Replacement

Catalytic DistillationA Breakthrough Technology

Catalytic Distillation is a combination of reaction and distillation in asingle unit operation -- it enjoys a number of specific advantages overthe conventional sequential approach of reaction followed bydistillation.

Catalytic Distillation Column

Wet methanol feed is introduced in the uppersection of the column.

Dehydration proceeds as the methanol flowsdown the column.

The catalyst is incorporated in baskets hangingoff the trays.

As the methanol flows down, almost completedehydration occurs leaving only water exitingfrom the bottom.

Dimethyl ether, the product of dehydration, flowsup the column and exits from the top.

Process Schematic: Top Fired Reformer

Process Schematic: Pressurized Reformer