Enhancement of Equilibriumshift in Dehydrogenation Reactions Using a Novel Membrane Reactor

Technical Report · Wed Mar 29 04:00:00 EST 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/897412· OSTI ID:897412

Ilias, Shamsuddin ^[1]; King, Franklin G

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1. North Carolina A & T State University

In our previous report we reported technical difficulties encountered in the fabrication of tubular membrane reactor using our Pd-ceramic composite membranes. Although the membrane is highly selective to hydrogen but in test runs we observed leakage of hydrogen from the end-seals and metallic fittings. This was a serious problem. An attempt to improve the seal by tightening was not helpful but resulted in cracks and breakage of the ceramic tube. To test the equilibrium conversion and equilibrium shift effect on dehydrogenation of cyclohexane to benzene and hydrogen in membrane reactor, we used Pd-ceramic discs in our diffusion cell as reactor packed with Pt-catalyst pellets. Test results show that by manipulating the feed (cyclohexane) flow rate and sweep gas flow rate (permeate side) we can have over 55% conversion as opposed to 18.7% equilibrium conversion under identical conditions. This demonstrates the usefulness of the new membrane in H{sub 2} separation and also in membrane-reactor configurations for equilibrium limited decomposition and dehydrogenation reactions.

• Research Organization: North Carolina A & T State University
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FG22-96PC96222
• OSTI ID: 897412
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
BENZENE
CERAMICS
CYCLOHEXANE
DEHYDROGENATION
DIFFUSION
FABRICATION
FLOW RATE
GAS FLOW
HYDROGEN
MEMBRANES