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INTRODUCTION

TABLE 3B

Flammability Hazards of DME [14]
Tabulated Hazards Summary
Flammability Highly flammable
Vapor density w.r.t air Heavier than air
Gas/Air Mixture Explosive
Distance Ignition possibility Possible
Extinguishing agent Powder, Carbon dioxide, Foam
Decomposition Products Carbon monoxide, Carbon dioxide, water
Reactivity Reacts violently with Aluminium hydride, Lithium
Aluminium hydride

DME is fairly safe as regards to its toxicity and environment impact due to its short half-life.
Some of the toxicological and ecological properties are summarized below (excerpted from
Shell safety data sheet for DME, [73]:

Likely Routes of exposure: Mainly Inhalation, also through eye and skin contact
Acute Oral Toxicity: Not expected to be a hazard
Acute Dermal Toxicity: Not expected to be a hazard
Acute inhalation Toxicity: Low toxicity by inhalation
Skin corrosion/irritation: Expected to be non-irritant to skin
Serious eye damage/irritation: Expected to be non- irritant to eyes
Respiratory irritation: Not expected to be a respiratory irritant
Respiratory or skin sensitisation: Not expected to be a sensitizer
Aspiration Hazard: Not considered an aspiration hazard
Germ cell mutagenicity: No evidence of mutagenic activity
Carcinogenicity: Not expected to be carcinogenic
Reproductive / Developmental Not expected to impair fertility, not expected to be a
Toxicity: developmental toxicant

Additional Information: Rapid release of gases which are liquids under pressure
may cause frost burns of exposed tissues (skin, eye)
due to evaporative cooling. High gas concentrations will
displace available oxygen from the air; unconsciousness
and death may occur suddenly from lack of oxygen
It should be noted that the toxicological and environmental impact of DME is much lower
compared to most of the conventional liquid hydrocarbon based transportation fuels. This is
one of the main reasons for recent trends in the use of DME as a substitute of diesel.

1.2 USE OF METHANOL & DME

Methanol is primarily used for manufacture of other chemicals such as formaldehyde, acetic
acid, Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) etc., as denaturing agent or as common laboratory
solvent. Traditionally, methanol was manufactured from destructive distillation of wood. It is
also produced naturally through the metabolism of many varieties of bacteria. It is only during
the 1970s that methanol gained importance as feedstock for olefins and synthetic gasoline

20 Methanol and DME Production: Survey and Roadmap | 2017