Production of Clean Transportation Fuel Dimethylether by Dehydration of Methanol Over Nafion Catalyst

Abstract

Dimethylether (DME) which is a very attractive synthetic transportation fuel alternate is synthesized by the dehydration reaction of methanol over nafion as the catalyst. The objective is to test the activity of this catalyst in methanol dehydration reaction. Experiments carried out in a vapor phase flow reactor in a temperature range of 120-220oC and with a space time of 1.35 s.g/cm3 showed quite high activity of Nafion to produce DME, giving conversion values of about 0.4 at 220oC. An increase in temperature caused an increase in DME selectivity (reaching to one over 200 oC) and a decrease in formaldehyde selectivity. Keywords: Dimethylether, Nafion, Dehydration