DME fuel - dimethyl ether production and utilize

DME is relatively unknown as a fuel. It has been used as a organic solvent and and extraction agent in laboratory and particularly for industrial purposes as a aerosol propellant. Entire last decade scientific efforts to discover sustainable economic production process of the DME have been accelerated. There were done a lot of successful studies and tests in Europe and Asia, so I'm free to say that is coming the new alternative fuel which will be a competitor to biodiesel. DME can be used is a energy source for transport, industrial power production and household heating.

What is DME Fuel?

DME is chemical compound - dimethyl ether C2H6O, the simplest ether. It is a hydrocarbon consists oxygen and two methyl groups. Dimethyl ether is not alcohol like metanol, ethanol, butanol; and has different characteristics. Unlike ethanol (in presence of bacteria) or other alkyl ethers, it resists auto oxidation. Dimethyl ether is also relatively non-toxic, although it is highly flammable.
It is a colorless oxygenate with physical properties similar to LPG. Low auto-ignition temperature and high oxygen content make to burn more efficiently and cleaner. It's free of human health harmless pollutions sulphur and aromatic compounds. By characteristics, DME Fuel is suitable to be bunt in diesel engines rather then engines meant for gasoline use. Therefore, heavy vehicles, agricultural and industrial engines are designated. With a high cetane number, cleaner and more complete combustion then diesel and biodiesel, DME meets both, economy and environment. DME decreases fuel expenses.

Available Feedstock and DME Production

DME can be produced from variety of feedstock. Well known is production from fossil hydrocarbons: coal, oil and natural gas for industry. The last studies concluded that DME would be commercially produced from cellulosic biomass and industry by-products for example paper pulp. Using residual forestry biomass as DME fuel feedstock, thus uneatable or farm-able decreases germ consumption for fueling. It degrades all arguments against alternative fuels. Preliminary economy calculations shown that production process is simpler then 'ethanol from cellulose' as well as final product costs less then each fossil diesel or biodiesel.
The production of DME Fuel is divided in two steps. First, coal or varying of biomass being burned in order to produce syngas. Then, syngas being converted into methanol in the presence of copper-based catalyst with subsequent methanol dehydration in the presence of different catalysts resulting in the production of DME.

DME Fuel Combustion - pure dimethyl ether

C2H6O + 3 O2 -> 2CO2 + 3H2O + Energy
DME burns more complete then diesel and biodiesel, producing less carbon dioxide and carbon – monoxide, no sulfur oxides. Although energy density of DME is lower than diesel, engine thermal
efficiency is higher. DME also costs less than diesel on an equal energy basis.

Vapour pressure of DME fuel

High vapour pressure 450kPa/65psi is similar to propane – butane LPG. All engineering and safety data related to vapour pressure of LPG fuel is valuable for DME fuel also. Storage and transport can be done using available LPG infrastructure.

Cetane Number of DME Fuel

Cetane rating is a measurement of the diesel fuel's combustion quality of during compression ignition. Cetane Number of DME fuel is 55-56, compared to fossil diesel 42-48 and biodiesel 52-55. Higher cetane fuels permit an engine to be started warmed more easily.

Sulfur and Pollutions Content

DME is a pure substance, not the mixture of diverse hydrocarbons as fossil fuels. It is chemically, free of sulfur. Also no other pollutions such as phosphorous and cancerous aromatic compounds - benzene and toluene. DME is almost nontoxic.

Oxygen Content

Oxigen is native component of DME. It support combustion in the air (in vehicles combustion chamber) getting high energy efficiency. Diesel fuel is almost free of bonded oxigen.

Vehicle Conversion

Most diesel engines are suitable for an DME conversion which take double benefits: enjoy the cost and environmental benefits of driving an DME vehicle immediately after conversion. Many service companies are specialized in convention gasoline engines to be able to run on propane – butane. Conversion diesel engines to run on DME is similar task. There may be computer tuning a little different.

I'm looking forward to see commercial production start ups and delivery to fuel stations. With viable and cheap feedstock, good price, developed transport and storage infrastructure, it seems that potential troubles with DME involving into fuel market have already solved. Within next few years companies would upgrade production technology and offer to market cheap and clean fuel.

I found the following DME fuel production companies:
http://www.chemrec.se
http://www.altfueltechnology.com
http://www.fueldme.com/what_use_e.html
Apology to other companies for the missing from a list. Feel free to leave a link in comments