Kairui Environmental Protection’s “new technology for catalytic distillation of methanol to produce dimethyl ether” has passed the scientific and technological achievement appraisal!

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On December 19, 2015, organized by the Hebei Provincial Department of Science and Technology, an appraisal committee composed of well-known experts in the industry was convened to evaluate the scientific and technological achievement represented by the \"new technology for producing dimethyl ether from methanol through catalytic distillation\" developed by Kairui Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. The experts present agreed that this technological achievement is the first of its kind in China, with the overall technology reaching an internationally advanced level and offering significant demonstration value. “The new technology of “catalytic distillation for methanol to dimethyl ether production” introduces catalytic distillation technology into dimethyl ether manufacturing for the first time. Under the action of the catalytic distillation tower, the etherification reaction and separation occur simultaneously, continuously disrupting the reaction equilibrium and driving the reaction in the direction of dimethyl ether formation, ultimately achieving a methanol conversion rate of over 99.5%. The top of the tower yields dimethyl ether with a purity of over 99.5%, which meets the purity requirements for aerosols and does not require further purification or separation. The methanol content in the wastewater flowing out of the tower bottom does not exceed 300 ppm, allowing it to be discharged directly to the wastewater treatment plant without the need for methanol recovery. This technology offers advantages such as a short process flow, low reaction temperature, no need to gasify the raw materials, no side reactions, low energy consumption, and high product purity. It solves the problems associated with traditional vapor-phase processes, such as long process flows, high reaction temperatures, high energy consumption, the need to gasify the methanol feedstock, low conversion rates, the requirement for methanol purification and recovery, and the need to purify dimethyl ether products. In February 2013, the 2,000-ton/year dimethyl ether demonstration plant built by Kerry Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. using the \"new technology of catalytic distillation for the production of dimethyl ether from methanol\" was successfully put into operation, with a one-way conversion rate of methanol reaching 99.7% and a purity of dimethyl ether reaching 99.5%. The successful operation of this demonstration unit marks the successful development of a new technology for producing dimethyl ether through catalytic distillation, thereby advancing the technology for dimethyl ether production. In particular, its environmental-friendly and energy-saving properties enable a significant reduction in the production costs of dimethyl ether, thereby improving the economic efficiency of manufacturing enterprises. It also holds great strategic significance for adjusting China’s energy structure and achieving energy conservation and emission reduction goals.