On December 19, 2015, the Hebei Provincial Department of Science and Technology organized an appraisal committee comprising renowned industry experts to conduct a scientific and technological achievement appraisal of the “New Technology for the Catalytic Distillation of Methanol to Produce Dimethyl Ether” developed by Kaier Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. The participating experts unanimously agreed that this technological achievement is a first in China, that the technology as a whole has reached an internationally advanced level, and that it serves as a significant model.

　　The “New Technology for the Catalytic Distillation of Methanol to Produce Dimethyl Ether” marks the first time that catalytic distillation technology has been introduced into dimethyl ether production. Within the catalytic distillation column, the etherification reaction and separation occur simultaneously, continuously disrupting the reaction equilibrium to drive the reaction toward the formation of dimethyl ether, ultimately achieving a methanol conversion rate of over 99.5%. The dimethyl ether product obtained at the top of the tower has a purity of over 99.5%, meeting the purity requirements for aerosols without the need for further purification or separation. The methanol content in the wastewater discharged from the bottom of the tower does not exceed 300 ppm, allowing it to be directly discharged to a wastewater treatment plant without the need for methanol recovery. This technology offers advantages such as a short process flow, low reaction temperature, no need for feedstock gasification, no side reactions, low energy consumption, and high product purity. It addresses the issues associated with traditional vapor-phase processes, including long process flows, high reaction temperatures, high energy consumption, the need for methanol feedstock gasification, low conversion rates, the need for methanol purification and recovery, and the need for dimethyl ether product purification.

　　Compared to the traditional gas-phase method, this technology consumes approximately 60% of the energy and requires about 90% of the capital investment (based on a 200,000 metric tons per year dimethyl ether plant). Operating costs per metric ton of dimethyl ether are reduced by approximately 70 yuan, significantly enhancing the competitive advantage and profit margins of dimethyl ether producers.

　　In February 2013, a 2,000 metric The successful operation of this demonstration plant marks the successful development of the new catalytic distillation technology for dimethyl ether production and has advanced technological progress in this field. In particular, its environmentally friendly and energy-saving characteristics can significantly reduce dimethyl ether production costs and improve the economic efficiency of manufacturers, while also holding major strategic significance for China’s energy structure adjustment and the achievement of energy conservation and emission reduction targets.