Direct dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis from synthesis gas is studied with regard to potential effects of methanol dehydration on methanol formation and copperbased catalyst performance. For this, the influence of the operating conditions (space velocity, temperature, pressure, time-on-stream and syngas composition) on activity, selectivity and stability of the catalyst was studied and compared for methanol synthesis and direct DME synthesis. The advantage of the direct over the two-step DME synthesis is apparent at conditions where syngas conversion to methanol is thermodynamically limited. However, under the applied operating conditions, results suggest that combining methanol synthesis and dehydration has a negative effect on the methanol formation kinetics. The origin of the observed phenomena is investigated by varying dehydration catalyst and by introducing dehydration products (DME and water) into the methanol synthesis feed. Choice of the solid acid catalyst does not seem to affect methanol formation, and DME is also found to be practically inert over the methanol synthesis catalysts. Water injection, on the other hand, led to a significant decrease in the methanol synthesis rate. Thus, formation of an additional amount of water through methanol dehydration might be an explanation for the lower methanol formation rate in the direct DME synthesis.
Nutrient recovery from secondary resources, such as wastewater, has received increasing attention in recent years. Nutrient cycle sustainability and recycling approaches are important measures under development and considerations. This paper aims to present an overview of routes and technologies for nutrient recovery from sewage sludge and measures for improving their sustainability. First, current routes for nutrient recovery from sewage sludge are briefly reviewed. Next, an overview of commercial nutrient recovery technologies, projects, and emerging techniques around the world with the key factors for a successful phosphorus recovery technology is presented. Finally, a proposal for improving the sustainability of these practices is presented. It is concluded that the gap between demand and supply can be a major driver for the shift from ‘removal and treat’ to ‘recovery and reuse’. Moreover, there is not, and will never be, a one-size-fits-all solution. Future strategies and roadmaps need to be adapted to the local economy and geographical context more than ever.
Catalysts for direct synthesis of dimethyl ether (DME) from synthesis gas should essentially contain two functions, i.e. methanol synthesis and methanol dehydration. In the present work, the deactivation of both functions of hybrid catalysts during direct DME synthesis under industrially relevant conditions has been investigated with special focus on the influence of each reaction step on the deactivation of the catalyst function corresponding to the other step. A physical mixture of a Cu-Zn-based methanol synthesis catalyst and a ZSM-5 methanol dehydration catalyst was used. The metallic catalyst appears to deactivate due to Cu sintering, with no apparent effect from the methanol dehydration step under the conditions applied. The acid catalyst deactivates due to accumulation of hydrocarbon species formed in its pores.Synthesis gas composition, i.e. H 2 /CO ratio and CO 2 -content (which directly affects partial pressure of water), seems to influence the zeolite deactivation.
The possibility of mass transfer limitations in an integrated micro packed bed reactor−heat exchanger (IMPBRHE) for methanol synthesis was experimentally investigated. Experiments were performed with three different particle size distributions (50−200 μm) of a Cu-based catalyst at 80 bar and 215−270 °C. Negligible effects of pore diffusion limitations on the performance of the reactor under methanol synthesis conditions for catalyst particle diameters up to 125 μm were found. Due to a very low Reynolds numbers (∼1) and dominance of molecular diffusion, variation of the total pressure was applied as a suitable technique to alter the diffusivities of reactants in the gas mixture by dilution, while keeping the reactant flow and partial pressure constant. No significant change in the CO conversion was observed in the temperature range 235−255 °C, pressure range 50−90 bar, and for reactant contact times of 105−308 ms•g/mL. The same procedure was applied to a laboratory fixed bed reactor with similar results. Possible heat transfer effects associated with the dilution were shown to be negligible. We therefore conclude that both reactor systems operate in the absence of external mass transfer limitations.
Hot-wire anemometry (HWA) flow distribution measurement applied to micro-packed bed reactors Measurements of flow distribution as a function of particle size distribution and particle size enabled Potential bottlenecks of catalyst particles packing in microreactor identified
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