Autothermal Reforming of Methane with Integrated CO2 Capture in a Novel Fluidized Bed Membrane Reactor. Part 2 Comparison of Reactor Configurations

Abstract

The reactor performance of two novel fluidized bed membrane reactor configurations for hydrogen production with integrated CO 2 capture by autothermal reforming of methane (experimentally investigated in Part 1) have been compared using a phenomenological reactor model over a wide range of operating conditions (temperature, pressure, H 2 O/CH 4 ratio and membrane area). It was found that the methane combustion configuration (where part of the CH 4 is combusted in situ with pure O 2 ) largely outperforms the hydrogen combustion concept (oxidative sweeping combusting part of the permeated H 2 ) at low H 2 O/CH 4 ratios (\2) due to in situ steam production, but gives a slightly lower hydrogen production rate at higher H 2 O/CH 4 ratios due to dilution with combustion products. The CO selectivity was always much lower with the methane combustion configuration. Whether the methane combustion or hydrogen combustion configuration is preferred depends strongly on the economics associated with the H 2 O/CH 4 ratio.

Comparison between fixed bed and fluidized bed membrane reactor configurations for PEM based micro-cogeneration systems

“…For example, increasing the feed pressure from 6 to 8 bar leads to a membrane area reduction of 61%, while from 12 to 14 bar the difference is only about 15%. The membrane area calculated by Aspen Plus ® were also checked via detailed simulations of the membrane assisted fluidized bed, using a phenomenological model described elsewhere [41]. In this preliminary analysis for the required membrane area the temperature in all reactors (see Fig.…”

Gas permeation effect on the Two-Section Two-Zone Fluidized Bed Membrane Reactor (TS-TZFBMR) fluid dynamics: A CFD simulation study

“…Fluidized bed membrane reactors become especially attractive to generate ultra-pure hydrogen from water-gas-shift [12] or methane steam reforming [13][14][15][16]. These reactor configurations can also enhance the reactant conversion by H 2 removal as in alkane dehydrogenation [17].…”

Evaluation of dense Pd–Ag membrane reactor performance during methanol steam reforming in comparison with autothermal reforming using CFD analysis

“…Regarding to literature, the methanol may be the appropriate feedstock for mentioned applications. It is known that the MSR reaction proceeds with high efficiency under mild conditions at a temperature of 250e320 C and atmospheric pressure [1]. The traditional MSR process involves of feed gas preheating, primary and secondary reformers (often multi-tubular fixedbed reactors) and high and low temperature shift converters, CO 2 removal and methanation units.…”