Invest in dimethyl ether!

One factor is your scale, and the other is the European market. It’s not clear in Europe; in China, many fuel-grade substances are mixed into liquefied gas

Take a look at the condition of raw materials in the investment location; the energy sector should be good.

Many of them have stopped production in China. Why? Because coal is a bit expensive now, it’s not profitable.

Due to significant market fluctuations, our dimethyl ether production is intermittent; it’s mostly used as fuel

Investing in DME is mainly aimed at developing downstream products; for example, it can be used as a substitute for diesel. Using it merely as a fuel is not sufficient, as it is highly affected by external environmental factors, and the profit margin is also decreasing. Nowadays, more and more manufacturers are producing DME

Seeking information on the processes for downstream products of dimethyl ether, as well as the production volumes of dimethyl ether in South China, Central China, and Southwest China. I have collected the following information, but it is far from enough and cannot be confirmed. I hope professionals can provide additional information and corrections. Thank you! In our country, there are relatively few downstream products manufactured directly from dimethyl ether as a raw material; however, research and development in this area have progressed rapidly in recent years. It is estimated that around 36,000 tons of dimethyl ether were consumed in 2007. 1. Dimethyl ether reacts with aniline vapor to produce high-purity N–N diamine (DMA). N,N-Diamine, also known as dimethylaniline, is a colorless to pale yellow oily liquid with an irritating odor; it oxidizes easily in air or under sunlight, causing its color to darken. Relative density (20°C/4°C) is 0.9555; freezing point is 2.0°C, boiling point is 193°C; flash point (open cup) is 77°C, ignition point is 317°C; viscosity at 25°C is 1.528 MPa·s; refractive index (n20D) is 1.5584. Soluble in various organic solvents such as ethanol, ether, chloroform, and benzene. It can dissolve a variety of organic compounds. Slightly soluble in water. Flammable; it burns when exposed to an open flame. Its vapor forms explosive mixtures with air, with an explosion limit of 1.2%–7.0% (vol). Highly toxic; upon high-temperature decomposition, it releases toxic aniline gas. It can cause poisoning through skin absorption; the LD50 is 1410 mg/kg, and the maximum allowable concentration in the air is 5 mg/m3. The preparation methods of N,N-diamines are divided into liquid-phase and gas-phase methods. Nearly 10 DMA manufacturers in China use the liquid-phase process, and there are no such companies in our company’s target market. The nearest to our company is Nanjing Jintian, which produces 6,000 tons of N,N-diamine per year. 2. Dimethyl ether reacts with H2S to produce dimethyl sulfide. Depending on the raw materials used, there are methods such as the dimethyl sulfate method, the carbon disulfide method, the hydrogen sulfide method, and the paper black liquor method. 1. Dimethyl sulfate method: Dimethyl sulfate and sodium sulfide react at 80–90°C to produce dimethyl sulfide. 2. Carbon disulfide method: Methanol and carbon disulfide react at 300°C under the catalysis of aluminum hydroxide to produce dimethyl sulfide. 3. Hydrogen sulfide method: Methanol is dehydrated to dimethyl ether at high temperature using activated alumina as a catalyst ； Dimethyl ether then reacts with hydrogen sulfide in the presence of a catalyst to produce dimethyl sulfide. 4. The papermaking black liquor method: During the pulping process, about 62% of the non-fibrous substances dissolve in the cooking liquid; this pulp waste liquid is commonly known as “black liquor” and contains large amounts of lignin. The black liquor is reacted with sulfur or sodium sulfide under high temperature and pressure, causing the methoxy groups of lignin to break off and combine with sulfur ions to form dimethyl sulfide. Currently, there are approximately 15 manufacturers of dimethyl sulfide, which use the above four processes, all with relatively small production scales. There are no corresponding manufacturing enterprises in our company’s target market. The Antou Synthetic Chemical Factory in Jintan City, Jiangsu Province, produces dimethyl sulfide; no data on production volume is available at present ； Guangzhou Weiboe Chemical Co., Ltd. is engaged in the distribution of dimethyl sulfide. 3. Dimethyl ether reacts with fuming sulfuric acid or sulfur trioxide in the gas phase to produce dimethyl sulfate. Industrially, the reaction of dimethyl ether with sulfur trioxide is primarily used for the production of dimethyl sulfate, with methanol first being dehydrated to produce dimethyl ether. In the vicinity of our company, there are five manufacturers that use the dimethyl ether production process: 1. Guangzhou Runtu Pesticide Chemical Co., Ltd. (formerly Guangdong Panyu Shilou Fine Chemical Factory) produces dimethyl sulfate as a by-product; however, no data on the volume produced is available for now ； 2. Jiangsu Nantong Dalun Chemical Co., Ltd. mainly produces dimethyl sulfate in an output of 10,000 tons per year ； 3. Hubei Fuchi Chemical and Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. produces 5,000 tons of dimethyl sulfate per year. 4. Suzhou Wugan Chemical Co., Ltd.: 10,000 tons of dimethyl sulfate ； 5. Wuxi Yangshi Chemical Co., Ltd. mainly produces dimethyl sulfate and N,N-diamine; no production data is available at present. This post was last edited by jiangbaolin1688 on 2008-11-1 14:13.]

Now many companies have stopped operating, and there are fewer quotes available on various websites. Below are the quotes from some dimethyl ether manufacturers as of October 31: 1. The market atmosphere both within and outside the region is sluggish; sales at Guangzhou Jiutai are slow. The current listed price is 3,700 yuan per ton, and it is reported that the manufacturers are operating their plants at reduced capacity. 2. Jiu Tai Energy is facing difficulties in selling dimethyl ether, and the market atmosphere is sluggish; today the price listed has been reduced by 400 yuan to 3,200 yuan per ton, with discounts offered for large-scale purchases. 3. The dimethyl ether production plant in Yima Xinyuan is operating normally; however, due to a weak market, manufacturers are selling at a slow pace. Today, the price remains at 3,300 yuan per ton, with significant discounts available for purchases. It is reported that the manufacturer’s production volume is low, around 100 tons. 4. The shipments of dimethyl ether produced by Huarun in Qianjiang are average; the plant was successfully restarted 30 days after the preliminary inspections were completed. Today, its price stabilized at 3,250 yuan per ton. The manufacturer stated that production levels remain consistent, with a daily output of around 180 tons. 5. The atmosphere in the region is sluggish; Tianmao Group’s dimethyl ether shipments are average. The current listing price is 3,600 yuan per ton, with larger buyers receiving greater discounts. Its 200,000-ton production facility was shut down recently, while the 100,000-ton facility is operating normally, with a daily production capacity of around 100 tons. 6. The sales of dimethyl ether at Jinding Chemical are average; the market atmosphere both within and outside the region is sluggish. The listed price is 3,700 yuan per ton, with discounts offered to large customers. It is reported that the plant’s operating capacity is not high, with a daily production of around 100 tons. 7. The shipment of dimethyl ether by Henan Zhongke Chemical is slow; today its price remained stable at 3,500 yuan per ton. Larger buyers receive discounts, while the prevailing price in the region is around 3,000 yuan per ton. The manufacturer states that it is operating at reduced capacity, with a daily production volume of around 40–50 tons.

I’m not sure if the information is accurate; from what I know, it’s 2300-2500, right?

The price of dimethyl ether in the domestic market fluctuates greatly; you should investigate the situation in foreign markets

For dimethyl ether technology, the best option in China is the Southwest Research Institute; it’s worth looking into. However, the demand for dimethyl ether in the domestic market is not very high at present, so our plant’s dimethyl ether production facility operates intermittently.