Commodity Production Costs Report
Dimethyl Ether from CO2-Rich Natural Gas (Steam & CO2 Reforming)
Dimethyl Ether Operating Costs & Plant Construction Costs
This report presents the economics of Dimethyl Ether (DME) production from CO2-rich natural gas in the United States. The integrated process under analysis consists of three major steps. Initially, synthesis gas (syngas) is produced from natural gas, CO2 and water via a promising reforming process that combines dry and steam reforming. Then, the syngas is converted into methanol. The final step consists of the catalytic dehydration of methanol to generate DME.
The report provides a comprehensive study of Dimethyl Ether production and related Dimethyl Ether production cost, covering three key aspects: a complete description of the Dimethyl Ether production process examined; an in-depth analysis of the related Dimethyl Ether plant capital cost (Capex); and an evaluation of the respective Dimethyl Ether plant operating costs (Opex).
The Dimethyl Ether production process description includes a block flow diagram (BFD), an overview of the industrial site installations, detailing both the process unit and the necessary infrastructure, process consumption figures and comprehensive process flow diagrams (PFD). The Dimethyl Ether plant capital cost analysis breaks down the Capex by plant cost (i.e., ISBL, OSBL and Contingency); owner's cost; working capital; and costs incurred during industrial plant commissioning and start-up. The Dimethyl Ether plant operating costs analysis covers operating expenses, including variable costs like raw materials and utilities, and fixed costs such as maintenance, labor, and depreciation.
Key reference(s): ?
The process under analysis comprises three major sections: (1) syngas production; (2) methanol synthesis; and (3) DME synthesis.
Syngas production. Initially, the CO2-rich natural gas is mixed with steam and an additional carbon dioxide feed stream and fed to a reformer, which is a tubular fired heater filled with a catalyst based on nickel oxide on magnesium oxide (NiO/MgO). In the reformer, the methane reacts with the carbon dioxide and water, yielding carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a highly endothermic reforming reaction. The reformer outlet stream is cooled and then compressed to 70 - 80 bar.
Methanol synthesis. The compressed syngas is mixed with recycle gas and fed to the methanol synthesis reaction system, where CO reacts with hydrogen to generate methanol. The system outlet gas is mainly comprised of methanol, water vapor, unconverted hydrogen, CO and CO2. This stream is cooled, and methanol and water are separated from the gases by condensation. The separated gas is recycled with a small purge. The water/methanol condensate (crude methanol) stream is forwarded to three distillation columns for methanol purification. Purified methanol is split in two streams: part is sent to storage facilities outside battery limits to be sold as co-product and the remaining part is forwarded to DME synthesis.
DME Synthesis. Part of the purified methanol is vaporized, superheated and then fed to an adiabatic fixed-bed reactor, in which it is dehydrated to yield DME. The catalyst used to promote the methanol dehydration is an activated alumina. The reactor effluent, mainly comprising DME product, water and unreacted methanol, is cooled in a series of heat exchangers by heat integrations with methanol feed heating and superheating and finally sent to a last distillation column, where DME product is obtained from the column top. The unconverted methanol and water are removed by the column bottoms and recycled to the methanol synthesis section for methanol recovery.
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Professional report based on Q3 2024 economic data, ensuring timely evaluations.
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Content Highlights
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Summary outlining the capital cost required for building the Dimethyl Ether production plant examined.
Plant Capital Cost Details
Detailing of fixed capital (ISBL, OSBL & Owner’s Cost), working capital and additional capital requirements.
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Breakdown of Dimethyl Ether process unit (ISBL) costs and infrastructure (OSBL) costs; plant cost breakdown per discipline.
Operating Costs Summary
Summary presenting the operating variable costs and the total operating cost of the Dimethyl Ether production plant studied.
Operating Cost Details
Detailing of utilities costs, operating fixed costs and depreciation.
Plant Capacity Assessment
Comparative analysis of capital investment and operating costs for different Dimethyl Ether plant capacities.
Production Process Information
Block Flow Diagram, descriptions of process unit (ISBL) and site infrastructure (OSBL).
Process Consumptions
Raw materials and utilities consumption figures, by-products credits, labor requirements
Process Diagrams
Process flow diagrams (PFD), equipment list and industrial site configuration
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Other Dimethyl Ether Production Cost Reports
Dimethyl Ether Production from Synthesis Gas (Direct Method)
The report presents the economics of Dimethyl Ether (DME) production from synthesis gas (syngas) through a one-step process. In this process, syngas is reacted in the presence of a bifunctional catalyst that supports methanol syntheses and the subsequent dehydration of methanol to DME within a single reactor. The economic analysis performed assumes a plant located in the United States.
Details: 150 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue E | From $1,199 USD
Dimethyl Ether Production from Natural Gas & CO2 (Direct Method)
The report presents the economics of Dimethyl Ether (DME) production from natural gas and carbon dioxide (CO2). In the process under analysis, natural gas is reformed with CO2 yielding synthesis gas (syngas). Syngas is then fed to a one-step process for DME generation - syngas conversion into methanol and methanol dehydration into DME are carried out in a single reaction step. The economic analysis performed assumes a plant located in the United States.
Details: 110 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue G | From $1,499 USD
Dimethyl Ether Production from Natural Gas
This report presents the economics of Dimethyl Ether (DME) production from synthesis gas in the United States. The process under analysis is a two-step process. The first step comprises the conversion of natural gas into synthesis gas (syngas) through combined reforming and subsequent formation of methanol from syngas. The second step consists of the catalytic dehydration of methanol to generate DME.
Details: 160 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue B | From $1,199 USD
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Other Related Production Cost Reports
Methanol Production from Natural Gas (Combined Reforming)
This study presents the economics of large-scale Methanol production from natural gas in the United States. In this process, natural gas is first converted into synthesis gas (syngas) by means of conventional steam reforming and secondary autothermal reforming. Then, the syngas is converted into Methanol.
Details: 1700 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue B | From $799 USD
Syngas Production from Natural Gas (Steam Reforming)
In this report, the economic analysis concerns a process in which Syngas (Synthesis Gas) is generated from natural gas. This study examines a conventional steam reforming process. The plant is located in the United States.
Details: 600 kta United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue F | From $799 USD
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