NEW CATALYTIC MEMBRANE REACTOR DESIGN FOR HYDROGEN ...
NEW CATALYTIC MEMBRANE REACTOR DESIGN FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION G. P. Figueredo1,2*; J. P. Ribeiro1; R. L. B. A. Medeiros1; J. M. R. Mercury2; A. R. Nascimento1; M. A. F. Melo1; D. M. A. Melo1 1 LabTam/LCR/NUPPRAR, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Campus Universitário, Lagoa Nova, 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil 2 Department of Chemistry, Federal Institute of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil * [email protected] This work presents the design of a catalytic membrane reactor for hydrogen production based on new materials and with a innovative configuration. The main focus was design a reactor combining the reaction and separation units in one single system. The reactor was specially designed to use the most modern coke formation resistant catalysts working as seletive oxygen transporter. The basic design of the system was made in Corel Draw and the others devices in Microsoft Office Visio. The scheme with all devices was projected for laboratory scale with focus in the methane dry reform reaction. The membrane will be active for reform reaction and CO oxidation. The characteristics of the selected materials and the system configuration makes the new membrane reactor a potential reactor for CO free hydrogen production.
Keywords: Reactors design, selective membranes, hydrogen production Introduction This project was elaborated with the purpose of combine the excellent catalyst properties, resistance to deactivation and great ability has oxygen carrier of the perovskite oxides and the use of inorganic membranes has porous supports to present a new membrane catalytic reactor based in new material and with new configuration, mixing the reaction and separation units to hydrogen production from CH4 dry reform. Experimental part The reactor was designed with the use of programs like Corel Draw and Microsoft Visio. The colors of the reactor were selected to highlight the chosen material. Devices lice cylinder, gas flux controls, valves, gas line, computer and equipment of analysis are showed along with the reactor in the system final composition. Results and discussion The Figure 1 presents the basic design of the reactor. This consists in one Al2O3 tube coated with the La1-xBaxNiO3 perovskite (P1) internally and La1-xBaxCoO3 perovskite (P2) externally. The active phase of the catalyst is the P1 perovskite which is deposited in the intern surface and in the middle of the reactor. The P2 perovskite is used in the capture, separation and controlled permeation of oxygen from the air to the membrane interior. According with the Figure 1, the reactor tube is supported by a cylindrical apparatus made of steel with an gas input and output device. The intern side of the reactor is fed with CH4, CO2 and N2, and the external side with a reverse air flux. The pressure and gas flux must be adjusted to an optimal rate of reagents molar flux. A gasket system made of a high fusion point glass must be placed between the steel tube and the membrane reactor has reported by Zhang et al. (2007).
Fig. 1 - Schematic figure of the reactor.
Figure 2 presents all the experimental devices, in a lab scale, for the ideal configuration of the system. One can see that the output of the tubular reactor is connected, by a steel gas line, to a gas chromatograph equipped with an automatic injection system. The chromatograph must have adequate column and detectors for the separation and analysis of the output gases. H2
CH4 CO2 N2 H2
GC
Synthetic air Computer
Fig. 2 - Experimental devices of the projected system.
By the Figures 1 and 2 we can observe the working basic principle of the reactor to achieve CO free Hydrogen production. The P2 perovskite permeates oxygen to the reactor interior, which reacts with CO, obtaining CO2. The CO2 obtained Is consumed in the reform reaction and the H2 is withdrawal from the reactor continually. The equilibrium is then displaced in the direction of the products formation, increasing productivity, efficiency and enabling the system to work in reduced temperature ranges decreasing the energy cost of the process. Conclusion We conclude that the presented catalytic membrane reactor presents potential application in the production of pure H2 having the CH4 and CO2 has starting materials.
References [1] Zhang, W., Smit, J., Annaland, V.S.A.M., Kuipers, J.A.M. Journal of Membrane Science, 291, 2007. Acknowledgement: PPGQ/UFRN, CAPES.
Keywords: Reactors design, selective membranes, hydrogen production Introduction This project was elaborated with the purpose of combine the excellent catalyst properties, resistance to deactivation and great ability has oxygen carrier of the perovskite oxides and the use of inorganic membranes has porous supports to present a new membrane catalytic reactor based in new material and with new configuration, mixing the reaction and separation units to hydrogen production from CH4 dry reform. Experimental part The reactor was designed with the use of programs like Corel Draw and Microsoft Visio. The colors of the reactor were selected to highlight the chosen material. Devices lice cylinder, gas flux controls, valves, gas line, computer and equipment of analysis are showed along with the reactor in the system final composition. Results and discussion The Figure 1 presents the basic design of the reactor. This consists in one Al2O3 tube coated with the La1-xBaxNiO3 perovskite (P1) internally and La1-xBaxCoO3 perovskite (P2) externally. The active phase of the catalyst is the P1 perovskite which is deposited in the intern surface and in the middle of the reactor. The P2 perovskite is used in the capture, separation and controlled permeation of oxygen from the air to the membrane interior. According with the Figure 1, the reactor tube is supported by a cylindrical apparatus made of steel with an gas input and output device. The intern side of the reactor is fed with CH4, CO2 and N2, and the external side with a reverse air flux. The pressure and gas flux must be adjusted to an optimal rate of reagents molar flux. A gasket system made of a high fusion point glass must be placed between the steel tube and the membrane reactor has reported by Zhang et al. (2007).
Fig. 1 - Schematic figure of the reactor.
Figure 2 presents all the experimental devices, in a lab scale, for the ideal configuration of the system. One can see that the output of the tubular reactor is connected, by a steel gas line, to a gas chromatograph equipped with an automatic injection system. The chromatograph must have adequate column and detectors for the separation and analysis of the output gases. H2
CH4 CO2 N2 H2
GC
Synthetic air Computer
Fig. 2 - Experimental devices of the projected system.
By the Figures 1 and 2 we can observe the working basic principle of the reactor to achieve CO free Hydrogen production. The P2 perovskite permeates oxygen to the reactor interior, which reacts with CO, obtaining CO2. The CO2 obtained Is consumed in the reform reaction and the H2 is withdrawal from the reactor continually. The equilibrium is then displaced in the direction of the products formation, increasing productivity, efficiency and enabling the system to work in reduced temperature ranges decreasing the energy cost of the process. Conclusion We conclude that the presented catalytic membrane reactor presents potential application in the production of pure H2 having the CH4 and CO2 has starting materials.
References [1] Zhang, W., Smit, J., Annaland, V.S.A.M., Kuipers, J.A.M. Journal of Membrane Science, 291, 2007. Acknowledgement: PPGQ/UFRN, CAPES.
