Production of hydrogen from dimethyl ether

Catalytic reaction of steam reforming of dimethyl ether (DME) to hydrogen-rich gas was studied in a fixed-bed continuous-flow reactor at a temperature of 200-360 degreesC under atmospheric pressure over a mechanical mixture of catalysts for DME hydration and for methanol steam reforming. It was found that the mechanical mixture of 12-tungstosilicoheteropolyacid deposited on gamma -Al2O3 (DME hydration catalyst) and copper deposited on SiO2 (methanol steam reforming catalyst) provided a 100% DME conversion and hydrogen outlet concentration of similar to 71 vol.% at 290 degreesC and GHSV similar to 1200 h(-1). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.