Process

The dimethyl ether production process was developed by «ThyssenKrupp Uhde Engineering Services». The process is based on the catalytical methanol dehydration with two adiabatic reactors and energy-efficient distillation unit for separating the DME obtained from the reaction product.

The production uses as feedstock methanol produced by JSC Shchekinoazot.

The process includes the following stages:

• receirins of feedstock (distilled methanol);
• feedstock treatment – final methanol purification from amine-based components and mechanical impurities;
• methanol dehydration obtaining an aqueous solution of the reaction product;
• distillation of the reaction product for DME recovery;
• removal of the remaining aminocompounds in the distillation column;
• analysis of the final product in the shift tanks for check with the technical specifications prior to transfer into the DME storage tanks;
• storage of the final product in DME storage tanks;
• pumping of DME from storage tanks to tank-containers for shipment to consumers by railway and road transport.