FUEL 26

Recent discoveries by researchers at Lafayette College and Lehigh University have resulted in a new process for the manufacture of dimethoxymethane (DMM). This oxygenate has proven equivalent to ethanol (EtOH) and dimethyl ether (DME) in its ability to lower soot emissions from internal combustion engines operating on gasoline or diesel fuel. In tests by the DOE, aimed at replacing MTBE as an oxygenate in fuels, these three compounds gave superior performance. Previously DMM was made by partially oxidizing methanol to formaldehyde in a primary reactor (redox step) followed by the acidic condensation of the formaldehyde with methanol in the presence of a strong acid. in a second reactor. The recent discoveries proved that the cumbersome 2-step process can be done in one catalytic reactor using a newly developed and carefully engineered catalyst that performs the redox step and the acidic step in one pass. High selectivities to DMM were obtained at modest conversion rates. This work is described in detail as well as the potential application of the process to the conversion of pulp and paper mill waste gases which have proven to be a good source of formaldehyde, as demonstrated on a pilot scale. The pulp mill waste gas becomes a renewable bio-source for DMM. In addition, the CO2 generated by the present incineration of pulp mill waste gas is eliminated thus yielding an environmental advantage.