Dimethyl ether catalyst used for the first time in a super-large MTP plant

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Dimethyl ether catalyst used for the first time in a super-large MTP plant Author/Source: China Chemical Industry News Date: 2016-07-22 Clicks: 43 Recently, the new generation CNM-5 catalyst for the dehydration of methanol to produce dimethyl ether, developed by Southwest Chemical Engineering Research and Design Institute Co., Ltd., was successfully applied in Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group’s super-large 1.8 million tons per year methanol-to-propylene (MTP) plant. This catalyst features high activity, good selectivity, a long service life, and high strength, thereby reducing the rate of catalyst pulverization. The low-temperature activation of this catalyst, along with its uniform heat-release properties, effectively prevents the occurrence of overheating conditions in large-scale reactors, thereby enabling the continuous and stable operation of such large-scale installations. The operation results show that the one-pass conversion rate of methanol is ≥85%, and the selectivity for dimethyl ether is ≥99.5%, thereby reducing the consumption of methanol. To keep up with the trend of larger-scale development in dimethyl ether production facilities, the Southwest Research Institute took on the task of researching catalysts for large-scale dimethyl ether production, which was a key project under the 11th Five-Year Plan’s **Science and Technology Support Program. Based on the research, production, and application of the CNM-3 dimethyl ether catalyst, modifications to this catalyst were carried out, and it was applied in a plant with an annual production capacity of 400,000 tons of dimethyl ether. Using this process and catalyst, dimethyl ether with a purity of over 99.99% can be produced; the catalyst’s lifespan can exceed 3 years, and all performance indicators are at the international advanced level. According to experts, dimethyl ether has many unique applications in the chemical industry, such as in pharmaceuticals, fuels, and pesticides. For example, high-purity dimethyl ether can replace Freon as an aerosol propellant and refrigerant, reducing pollution of the atmospheric environment and damage to the ozone layer ； It can also be used as a substitute for methanol as a new raw material for formaldehyde production, reducing the costs associated with its manufacture; its advantages are even more evident in large-scale formaldehyde production facilities.