Chemical recuperation of low-grade exhaust heat by steam reforming of dimethyl ether

For the new process of effective utilization of energy, chemical recuperation of low-grade exhaust heat by steam reforming of dimethyl ether (DME) was proposed. The reactor of fixed bed type was adopted. Catalytic activity for steam reforming of DME was estimated at 1 atm, S/C = 1.55, and 523-573 K. At 573 K, increase in conversion ratio of DME and selectivity ratio of hydrogen with increase of W/F was confirmed. Approximately 100% conversion ratio of DME and selectivity ratio of hydrogen were achieved at W/F of 40 g-cat hr/mole. The composition of effluent gas was consisted of mixture of 74.6% hydrogen, 19.8% CO₂, and 5.6% CO, lower than 1% DME, methanol, and methane. In lower W/F range, formation of methanol was confirmed. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting (San Francisco, CA 11/12-17/2006).