Kansai Electric Power Co., has successfully synthesized dimethyl ether (DME) from carbon dioxide (CO2) gases contained in emissions from a pilot plant at the Nanko Power Station in Osaka, Japan, utilizing the technology developed jointly with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. This was the first successful synthesis of DME from CO2 at plant in actual operation in Japan.

DME, which is human-friendly and thus used as an aerosol propellant in spray cans for cosmetics or alike, is recently drawing attention as a new clean energy source to replace LPG and diesel oil. The company has been researching this alternative fuel as a promising option to use CO2 effectively.

The conventional method to synthesize DME is first to generate methanol from natural gas and then to separate water from the methanol. On the other hand, the newly developed method is to use CO2 contained in the emissions from thermal power plants and to cause chemical reactions between CO2 and hydrogen, thereby synthesizing DME directly. The company said that the simplified synthesis process enables the production facility to be smaller in the future.

While watching the trend of demand for DME closely, the company plans to continue its research aiming at improving the synthesis efficiency and reducing the production costs, and to assess its business prospects.



Posted: 2002/12/17 03:39:32 PM
Japanese version

TAG Energy , Global warming , Manufacturing industry , Material reduction , Non-manufacturing industry , Technology