Why Is Big Oil Making Carbon-Free Ammonia Fuel?
A successful outcome for the energy transition is very much dependent on the development of alternative fuel solutions that are ultra-clean, renewable, and low in carbon emissions. Fuels that must be replaced include liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and diesel, which are fuels frequently used in vehicles and in heating. A promising replacement fuel is dimethyl ether (DME). Unlike current fossil fuels, DME leads to low emissions and it can be produced renewably. However, current DME production processes are limited when it comes to producing renewable DME from biomass or CO2, particularly due to problems handling steam in the process. For his Ph.D. research, Jasper van Kampen developed a new process for producing DME, and he defends his thesis on June 4th at the department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry.