Characterization and Catalytic Activity of γ-Al2O3-ITB on Methanol Dehydration

National Plan on Energy of Indonesia 2017 states that dimethyl ether (DME, CH3OCH3) will be used as partial substitution of LPG for household fuel. Methanol dehydration using a solid catalyst is a common technology to produce DME. In this research, a catalyst gamma-Al2O3 prepared in our laboratory has been characterized. This catalyst had a surface area of 194.4 m(2)/g, a total pore volume of 0.55 mL/g, and an average pore diameter of 112,3 angstrom. This catalyst had medium and high acidity sites. Activity tests of this catalyst were carried out in a fixed bed reactor at temperatures of 240, 260 and 280 degrees C. The gas flow rates were related to the gas hourly space velocity of 1500, 2142 and 3000 h(-1). Experimentally, the conversions of methanol were closed to that of thermodynamic conversions, i.e about 90% depending on the reaction temperature. The outlet gas was found to contain H-2 up to 2% indicating that there were side reactions besides the dehydration of methanol to DME.