Catalysis in the dispersed phase: Slurry technology in the synthesis of dimethyl ether (Review)

Abstract

The world market of dimethyl ether (DME) is rapidly gaining in strength. The review addresses prospects for using the slurry technology in the large-scale world production of DME. The literature and patent data pertaining to the manufacture of dimethyl ether in slurry reactors using finely divided heterogeneous catalysts suspended in inert liquids are generalized. Variants of the slurry technology used in the one-step DME synthesis from syngas and in the two-step DME synthesis (at the stage of dimethyl ether manufacturing via methanol dehydration) are considered. Advantages of the slurry technology over the conventional gas-phase methods of DME production are highlighted.