Atomic Energy Council-institute of Nuclear Energy Research

Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Atomic Energy Council

Kuo-Chao Liang

Chin-Ching Tzeng

How-Ming Lee

Cheng-Ting Hsieh

Disclosed is a method for making dimethyl ether by reactive distillation. The method provides a reactive distillation tower with a top, a bottom, and rectification, reaction and stripping zones defined therein. The top of the reactive distillation tower is retained at 25&#xb0; C. to 40&#xb0; C. while the bottom of the reactive distillation tower is retained at 84.6&#xb0; C. to 170&#xb0; C. Each of the rectification, reaction and stripping zones includes several sieving trays. The reaction zone of the reactive distillation tower is filled with catalyst. The pressure in the reactive distillation tower is lower than 8.0 bars. Methanol is introduced into the reactive distillation tower so that the methanol travels from the reaction zone toward the bottom for contact with the catalyst to provide a top stream and a bottom stream. The top stream includes dimethyl ether. The bottom stream includes water and a remaining portion of the methanol. Finally, the dimethyl ether is collected in the top of the reactive distillation tower. The purity of the collected dimethyl ether is higher than 99%.

Method for making dimethyl ether by reactive-distillation

Disclosed is a method for increasing the yield of a slurry bed reactor. The method provides a slurry bed reactor with a recycling unit or a replacing unit. An absorbing agent is fed into the slurry bed reactor. The absorbing agent is a substance that can react with at least one product of a primary reaction or at least one reactant of a side reaction. Then, the absorbing agent is transmitted into the recycling unit or the replacing unit. The recycling unit renews the absorbing agent and sends the renewed absorbing agent back into the slurry bed reactor for reuse. The replacing unit replaces the absorbing agent with new absorbing agent and sends the new absorbing agent into the slurry bed reactor for use.

Growing community of inventors

Chiayi County, Taiwan

Kuo-Chao Liang