Dimethyl ether (DME) is disintegrated by a microwave steam-plasma raising the gas temperature in a reaction chamber of 100 liters in a swirl-type gasifier. With additional heating of DME by partial oxidation, the gasifier temperature reaches 1250 °C. The initial breakdown species of DME molecules are hydrogen, carbon monoxide and methane, which eventually disintegrate to CO and H2 by steam modification at temperatures higher than 1200 °C. The relative concentrations of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide produced solely from DME modification by steam were 67.5 percent, 30.3 percent and 2.2 percent, respectively, achieving a conversion rate of 88 percent at a temperature of 1058 °C. The total energy efficiency of the present experiment was 81 percent.
This work was supported by the 2017 Open R&D Program of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) under Grant R17EH02. The authors particularly appreciate Mr. In Chul Chung for helping with the gasifier fabrication. Dr. Yong C. Hong helped with the steam plasma torch, and Dr. Jin H. Kim helped with the use of the gas analyzer.This work was supported by the 2017 Open R&D Program of the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) under Grant R17EH02. The authors particularly appreciate Mr. In Chul Chung for helping with the gasifier fabrication. Dr. Yong C. Hong helped with the steam plasma torch, and Dr. Jin H. Kim helped with the use of the gas analyzer.
