Development of dimethyl ether production process based on biomass gasification by using mixed-integer nonlinear programming

Abstract

Dimethyl ether (DME) is a clean and efficient synthetic fuel with the potential to substitute liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and diesel. From both the environmental and economic viewpoints, there is a strong preference to use biomass as the feedstock of synthetic fuels. In this study, state-of-the-art technologies were surveyed and a superstructure representation for the DME production process involving the use of biomass as a feedstock was investigated. Moreover, a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model was proposed for developing a DME production process based on biomass gasification. A combination of optimal technologies was adopted; detailed studies are presented to demonstrate the key features of the proposed superstructure. © 2010 The Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan.