Direct synthesis of dimethyl ether from syngas over mechanical mixtures of CuO/ZnO/Al2O3 and γ-Al2O3: Process optimization and kinetic modelling

This article explores the use of mechanical mixtures of a methanol synthesis catalyst (CuO/ZnO/Al2O3) and acid catalysts (γ-Al2O3) for enabling the one-step formation of dimethyl-ether from syngas. The study involved the determination of the optimal catalytic system composition and operating conditions in terms of reactant conversion and dimethyl-ether yield. The catalysts mixture that exhibited the best performance consisted of 92.5% wt. of...