Dimethyl ether: A fuel for the 21st century

Abstract For several years Amoco has been involved in research and development work on the synthesis of liquid fuels from natural gas. In a recent collaborative work with Haldor Topsoe S/A, AVL LIST GmbH and Navistar, Amoco has identified Dimethyl Ether (DME) as a new, ultraclean alternative fuel for diesel engines. DME can be handled like LPG, an important alternative transportation fuel. Preliminary engine test data for DME, showing emission levels better than the California 1998 ULEV standards, were recently reported at the 1995 SAE conference in Detroit, Michigan. DME is today manufactured from methanol and is primarily used as an aerosol propellant due to its environmentally benign characteristics. Haldor Topsoe has developed a process for direct production of DME from natural gas, coal or biomass. The process can be used for large scale (about 40,000 BSD diesel equivalent) manufacture of DME from natural gas using predominantly single-train process units. In this paper, we will provide an overview of the attractiveness of DME as an environmentally and customer-friendly diesel fuel option.