Production of hydrogen from dimethyl ether

Catalytic reaction of steam reforming of dimethyl ether (DME) to hydrogen-r ich gas was studied in a fixed-bed continuous-flow reactor at a temperature of 200-360 degreesC under atmospheric pressure over a mechanical mixture o f catalysts for DME hydration and for methanol steam reforming. It was foun d that the mechanical mixture of 12-tungstosilicoheteropolyacid deposited o n gamma -Al2O3 (DME hydration catalyst) and copper deposited on SiO2 (metha nol steam reforming catalyst) provided a 100% DME conversion and hydrogen o utlet 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.