LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF DIMETHYL ETHER

Abstract

Today's world is dependent on fossil fuels which increases global warming, climate change, and impact on human health. Too much use of fossil fuel can be dangerous to the environment. Also, fossil fuel is not a renewable source. we did a life cycle assessment of the DME. To produce DME, we have two methods: direct and indirect. In the direct method, methanol and DME are produced simultaneously in one reactor. DME and methanol are produced in separate reactors in this indirect method. In this report, a life cycle assessment of DME production by the direct method was conducted. We used algae as biomass to produce DME via the gasification process. In the production of DME, various processes involve such as algae production using an algal pond, harvesting, and dewatering (Centrifugation, Pressure and vacuum filtration, and Spiral Plate Technology), Gasification, and DME production. The functional unit of the LCA study was kg of CO2 (e) GHG emissions from 1 MJ of DME produced. In this process, it was assumed that 1 x 10^6 liter/day of municipal wastewater was treated in an algal pond. Through this wastewater treatment, 200 mg/L/day algae could be produced. The resultant biomass was fed for gasification and later for DME production. From 1 MLD wastewater, it was estimated that 584.685 moles of DME and 6.09 moles of methanol could be produced. The greenhouse gas emission in the DME process was 1402.73 kg. CO2 (equivalent) per MJ of DME production 1.018 kg CO2/MJ. greenhouse gas emission per kg of DME is 32.22 kgco2/kg.