To use dimethyl ether as a substitute for liquefied gas, it is first necessary to clarify its status

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To use dimethyl ether as a substitute for liquefied gas, it is first necessary to clarify its status. Dimethyl Ether Network, April 3, 2009. Recently, I have noticed that it has become very difficult to find pure liquefied gas on the market. Whether you are familiar with the term dimethyl ether or not, it has quietly made its way into people’s lives as a new type of alternative fuel. If, a few years ago, liquefied gas suppliers added dimethyl ether for profit purposes, then today’s **establishment of standards allowing up to 20% dimethyl ether to be included in liquefied petroleum gas, along with a series of policies that reduce the value-added tax rate on dimethyl ether as a primary energy source to 13%, are all contributing to the development of this industry.** However, the author often sees negative reports about dimethyl ether fuel in some local newspapers, and feels that dimethyl ether is indeed being treated unfairly; it is necessary to set the record straight on this matter. The following are the relevant excerpts from a recently popular article cited by the author: “It is understood that the price of dimethyl ether is only about one-third that of liquefied gas, and when gas containing dimethyl ether is ignited, the flame turns particularly red.” However, the calorific value of dimethyl ether is lower than that of natural gas. The most dangerous aspect is that dimethyl ether causes severe corrosion to rubber; if rubber hoses come into contact with it even accidentally, cracks can easily form leading to air leaks, which is very dangerous. Shortweighting during filling and adding dimethyl ether are not practices exclusive to unlicensed gas storage stations; some licensed stations may also do such things driven by profit. “In terms of weight shortage, the cost of a bottle is 20 to 30 yuan lower than that of the genuine version. Therefore, some owners of licensed storage stations complain about unfair competition while engaging in illegal activities themselves. ” If you search online, you can find many related articles, such as \"Unscrupulous sellers shortchange customers; dimethyl ether is added to liquefied gas,\" and \"It’s strange – why does liquefied gas have a green flame?\" and so on. In fact, dimethyl ether is cleaner and safer than liquefied gas. Adding less than 20% dimethyl ether to liquefied gas actually improves its combustion quality; the flame becomes brighter blue, black smoke from the bottom of the pot is significantly reduced, and there is no issue of residual liquid in the liquefied gas. The main problem at present is that the proportion of dimethyl ether used does not comply with the standards set by national regulations; instead, that proportion is increased significantly. One reason for this is to earn a profit from the price difference – dimethyl ether is about 300 yuan cheaper per ton than liquefied gas – contrary to what is stated in the aforementioned article, which claims that the price of dimethyl ether is only around one-third that of liquefied gas. Another reason is that suppliers take advantage of the property of dimethyl ether to carry residual substances, adding more such residues, as well as water or heavy oil. As a result, depending on the type of combustion aid added, the flame can appear red or green. Dimethyl ether is like a kitchen knife: it’s a useful tool in the hands of legitimate gas dealers, but it turns into a \"black market instrument\" in those of illegal ones” ； The author aims to clear up the reputation of dimethyl ether, while calling on relevant organizations to have a basic understanding of it, to guide its consumption properly, and to strengthen oversight.