DME from wood

October 5, 2010 by timbercommunity

Mid Sweden University will study the possibilities of extracting fuel DME from fresh wood. They have lately installed equipment in the Energy Laboratory in Härnösand, according to a press release. DME (Dimethyl ether) is a gas that, among other things can be produced from waste in the pulp industry. Dimethyl ether (DME) is a gas that is not commercially available for vehicles yet. The gas can be produced in various ways such as from waste from the pulp industry. Mid Sweden University research is unique since it use fresh biomass directly for production, such as forest waste.

With the new equipment, they want to begin gearing-up of technology from laboratory scale to pilot scale to approach the problem in full-scale plants, "says Kristina Goransson, a doctoral candidate at Mid Sweden University, with the gasification of wood as a research field.
Hopes are that DME can replace diesel in heavy vehicles.  The equipment weighs 7.5 tons and the total investments will reach over 2.5 million, "said Ulf Söderlind responsible for Mid Sweden University Energy Laboratory in Härnösand. Climate change challenges the international community and we must drastically reduce use of fossil fuels. DME is a new fuel system most suited as alternative to diesel for heavy vehicles.