Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), commonly recognized as the 'universal solvent' and 'panacea', is extensively used as both a high-quality solvent and a pharmaceutical agent in industries of petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, electronics, and defense industries. Utilizing methanol (MeOH) and H₂S as feedstocks, the DMSO synthesis process was designed, simulated, and optimized with Aspen Plus V14, followed by comprehensive product stream analysis. At the same time, by recycling and reusing the waste gas generated during the factory's production process (including H₂S, SO₂, NO₂, and NO), the potential sustainable contribution was evaluated. The optimal MeOH-to-H₂S feed ratio was determined to be 1.5:1 for maximum economic benefit. Reaction condition studies identified an optimum of 360 °C and 0.4–0.8 MPa for dimethyl sulfide (DMS) synthesis, whereas DMSO formation proceeded optimally under milder conditions of 30 °C and 0.1 MPa. Economic and sensitivity analyses indicated that raw material costs—especially H₂S price fluctuations—significantly affect production economics, and that DMSO market price is the key determinant of process viability, highlighting the need for real-time market monitoring and adaptive operational strategies. This study is distinguished by providing precisely quantified operating windows from an integrated process perspective and by applying multi-objective optimization that balances economic and environmental metrics. In this study, the main focus is placed on unit-level process optimization. For completeness, system integration aspects (e.g., heat exchanger network design) are briefly discussed as potential directions for further improvement.
Liang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.