An integrated biomass-derived syngas/dimethyl ether process

Abstract

A Cu-Zn-Al methanol catalyst combined with HZSM-5 was used for dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis from a biomass-derived syngas containing nitrogen. The syngas was produced by air-steam gasification of pine sawdust in a bubbling fluidized bed biomass gasifier with a dry reforming reaction over ultra-stable NiO-MgO catalyst packed in a downstream reactor for stoichiometric factor (H₂, CO, CO₂) adjustment. It constantly gave syngas with H2/CO ratio of 1.5 and containing trace CH₄ and CO₂ during a period of 150 h. The obtained N₂-containing biomass-derived syngas was used directly for DME synthesis. About 75% CO per-pass conversion and 66.7% DME selectivity could be achieved under the condition of 533 K, 4MPa and 1,000-4,000 h^-1. The maximized DME yield, 244 g DME/Kgbiomass (dry basis), was achieved under a gasification temperature of 1,073 K, ER (Equivalence Ratio) of 0.24, S/B (Steam to Biomass Ratio) of 0.72 and reforming temperature of 1,023 K with the addition of 0.54 Nm³ biogas/Kg_biomass (dry basis).