Solar-assisted two-stage catalytic membrane reactor for coupling CO_(2) splitting with methane oxidation reaction

A two-stage catalytic membrane reactor(CMR)that couples CO_(2) splitting with methane oxidation reactions was constructed based on an oxygen-permeable perovskite asymmetric membrane.The asymmetric membrane comprises a dense SrFe_(0.9)Ta_(0.1)O_(3-σ)(SFT)separation layer and a porous Sr_(0.9)(Fe_(0.9)Ta_(0.1))_(0.9)Cu_(0.1)O_(3-σ)(SFTC)catalytic layer.In thefirst stage reactor,a CO_(2) splitting reaction(CDS:2CO_(2)→2CO+O_(2))occurs at the SFTC catalytic layer.Subsequently,the O_(2) product is selectively extracted through the SFT separation layer to the permeated side for the methane combustion reaction(MCR),which provides an extremely low oxygen partial pressure to enhance the oxygen extraction.In the second stage,a Sr_(0.9)(Fe_(0.9)Ta_(0.1))_(0.9)Ni_(0.1)O_(3-σ)(SFTN)catalyst is employed to reform the products derived from MCR.The two-stage CMR design results in a remarkable 35.4%CO_(2) conversion for CDS at 900℃.The two-stage CMR was extended to a hollowfiber configuration combining with solar irradiation.The solar-assisted two-stage CMR can operate stably for over 50 h with a high hydrogen yield of 18.1 mL min^(-1) cm^(-2).These results provide a novel strategy for reducing CO_(2) emissions,suggesting potential avenues for the design of the high-performance CMRs and catalysts based on perovskite oxides in the future.

Electrodeposition of cobalt in double-membrane three-compartment electrolytic reactor

The process parameters were optimized for the electrodeposition of cobalt from cobalt chloride solution in the membrane electrolytic reactor. Effects of parameters such as catholyte composition, current density and temperature on the current efficiency, specific power consumption and quality of deposition were studied. The catholyte was a mixed solution of cobalt chloride, the initial middle electrolyte consisted of diluted hydrochloric acid, and the anolyte was sulfuric acid. An anion exchange membrane separated the catholyte from the middle electrolyte, and a cation exchange membrane separated the anolyte from the middle electrolyte. The results showed that a maximum current efficiency of 97.5% was attained under the optimum experimental condition of an catholyte composition of 80 g/L Co^2＋, 20 g/L H3BO3, 3 g/L NaF and pH of 4, at a cathode current density of 250 A/m2 and a temperature of 50 ℃ HCl could be produced in the middle compartment electrochemically up to 0.45 mol/L.

Chlorine-free emission disposal of spent acid etchant in a three-compartment ceramic membrane reactor

Electrochemical technologies for the on-site treatment of spent acid etchant have received great attention due their ease of operation and economic benefits. On the other hand, a large amount of Cl2 is generated during the electrolysis process, which leads to potential environmental risks. In the present work, a novel threecompartment ceramic membrane flow reactor, including a cathode chamber, an anode chamber, and a gas absorption chamber was developed. The three chambers were divided by an Al2O3 ceramic membrane and a breathable hydrophobic anode diffusion electrode(ADE). The Cl2 evolution onset potential of the ADE was increased to 1.19 V from 1.05 V of the graphite felt, effectively inhibiting the chlorine evolution reaction(CER).The anode-generated Cl2 diffused into the gas absorption chamber through the ADE and was eventually consumed by the H2O2 adsorbent. Cu could be recovered without emitting chlorine due to the special structure of reactor. The current efficiency of copper precipitation and cathode reduction from Cu2+to Cu+reached 97.7%at a working current of 150 m A. These results indicated that the novel membrane reactor had high potential for application in the copper recovery industry.

Electrifying Ba_(0.5)Sr_(0.5)Co_(0.8)Fe_(0.2)O_(3-δ) for focalized heating in oxygen transport membranes

Industry decarbonization requires the development of highly efficient and flexible technologies relying on renewable energy resources,especially biomass and solar/wind electricity.In the case of pure oxygen production,oxygen transport membranes(OTMs)appear as an alternative technology for the cryogenic distillation of air,the industrially-established process of producing oxygen.Moreover,OTMs could provide oxygen from different sources(air,water,CO_(2),etc.),and they are more flexible in adapting to current processes,producing oxygen at 700^(-1)000℃.Furthermore,OTMs can be integrated into catalytic membrane reactors,providing new pathways for different processes.The first part of this study was focused on electrification on a traditional OTM material(Ba_(0.5)Sr_(0.5)Co_(0.8)Fe_(0.2)O_(3-δ)),imposing different electric currents/voltages along a capillary membrane.Thanks to the emerging Joule effect,the membrane-surface temperature and the associated O_(2) permeation flux could be adjusted.Here,the OTM is electrically and locally heated and reaches 900℃on the surface,whereas the surrounding of the membrane was maintained at 650℃.The O_(2)permeation flux reached for the electrified membranes was~3.7 NmL min^(-1)cm^(-2),corresponding to the flux obtained with an OTM non-electrified at 900℃.The influence of depositing a porous Ce_(0.8)Tb_(0.2)O_(2-δ) catalytic/protective layer on the outer membrane surface revealed that lower surface temperatures(830℃)were detected at the same imposed electric power.Finally,the electrification concept was demonstrated in a catalytic membrane reactor(CMR)where the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane(ODHE)was carried out.ODHE reaction is very sensitive to temperature,and here,we demonstrate an improvement of the ethylene yield by reaching moderate temperatures in the reaction chamber while the O_(2) injection into the reaction can be easily fine-tuned.

Simultaneous generation of electricity, ethylene and decomposition of nitrous oxide via protonic ceramic fuel cell membrane reactor

Ethylene,one of the most widely produced building blocks in the petrochemical industry,has received intense attention.Ethylene production,using electrochemical hydrogen pump-facilitated nonoxidative dehydrogenation of ethane(NDE)to ethylene,is an emerging and promising route,promoting the transformation of the ethylene industry from energy-intensive steam cracking process to new electrochemical membrane reactor technology.In this work,the NDE reaction is incorporated into a BaZr_(0.1)Ce_(0.7)Y_(0.1)Yb_(0.1)O_(3-δ)electrolyte-supported protonic ceramic fuel cell membrane reactor to co-generate electricity and ethylene,utilizing the Nb and Cu doped perovskite oxide Pr_(0.6)Sr_(0.4)Fe_(0.8)Nb_(0.1)Cu_(0.1)O_(3-δ)(PSFNCu)as anode catalytic layer.Due to the doping of Nb and Cu,PSFNCu was endowed with high reduction tolerance and rich oxygen vacancies,showing excellent NDE catalytic performance.The maximum power density of the assembled reactor reaches 200 mW cm^(-2)at 750℃,with high ethane conversion(44.9%)and ethylene selectivity(92.7%).Moreover,the nitrous oxide decomposition was first coupled in the protonic ceramic fuel cell membrane reactor to consume the permeated protons.As a result,the generation of electricity,ethylene and decomposition of nitrous oxide can be simultaneously obtained by a single reactor.Specifically,the maximum power density of the cell reaches 208 mW cm^(-2)at 750℃,with high ethane conversion(45.2%),ethylene selectivity(92.5%),and nitrous oxide conversion(19,0%).This multi-win technology is promising for not only the production of chemicals and energy but also greenhouse gas reduction.

Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Alkanes using Oxygen-Permeable Membrane Reactor

The oxidative dehydrogenation （ODH） reactions of ethane and propane were investigated in a catalytic membrane reactor, incorporating oxygen-permeable membranes based upon La2Ni0.9V0.1O4＋δor Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ. As a compromise between the occurrence of a measureable oxygen flux and excessive homogenous gas phase reactions, the measurements were conducted at an intermediate temperature, either at 550 or 650 oC. The results show the dominating role of the oxygen flux across the membrane and available sites at the membrane surface in primary activation of the alkane and, hence, in achieving high alkane conversions. The experimental data of ODH of propane and ethane on both membrane materials can be reconciled on the basis of Mars-van Krevelen mechanism, in which the alkane reacts with lattice oxygen on the membrane surface to produce the corresponding olefin. It is further demonstrated that the oxygen concentration in the gas phase and on the membrane surface is crucial for determining the olefin selectivity.

Bio-reduction of nitrate from groundwater using a hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor

A hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor （MBfR） using H2 as electron donor was investigated to remove nitrate from groundwater. When nitrate was first introduced to the MBfR, denitrification took place on the shell side of the membranes immediately, and the effluent concentration of nitrate continuously decreased with 100% removal rate on day 45 under the influent nitrate concentration of 5 mg NO3^--N/L, which described the acclimating and enriching process of autohydrogenotrophic denitrification bacteria. A series of short-term experiments were applied to investigate the effects of hydrogen pressures and nitrate loadings on deniWification. The results showed that nitrate reduction rate improved as H2 pressure increasing, and over 97% of total nitrogen removal rate was achieved when the nitrate loading increased from 0.17 to 0.34 g NO3^--N/（m^2.day） without nitrite accumulation. The maximum deniwification rate was 384 g N/（m^3.day）. Partial sulfate reduction, which occurred in parallel to nitrate reduction, was inhibited by denitrififcation due to the competition for H2. This research showed that MBfR is effective for removing nitrate from the contaminated groundwater.

Simultaneous removal of COD and nitrogen using a novel carbon-membrane aerated biofilm reactor

A membrane aerated biofilm reactor is a promising technology for wastewater treatment. In this study, a carbon-membrane aerated biofilm reactor （CMABR） has been developed, to remove carbon organics and nitrogen simultaneously from one reactor. The results showed that CMABR has a high chemical oxygen demand （COD） and nitrogen removal efficiency, as it is operated with a hydraulic retention time （HRT） of 20 h, and it also showed a perfect performance, even if the HRT was shortened to 12 h. In this period, the removal efficiencies of COD, ammonia nitrogen （NH4^＋-N）, and total nitrogen （TN） reached 86%, 94%, and 84%, respectively. However, the removal efficiencies of NH4^＋-N and TN declined rapidly as the HRT was shortened to 8 h. This is because of the excessive growth of biomass on the nonwoven fiber and very high organic loading rate. The fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） analysis indicated that the ammonia oxidizing bacteria （AOB） were mainly distributed in the inner layer of the biofilm. The coexistence of AOB and eubacteria in one biofilm can enhance the simultaneous removal of COD and nitrogen.

Electrodeposition conditions of metallic nickel in electrolytic membrane reactor

The process parameters were optimized for the eleetrodeposition of nickel in an electrolytic membrane reactor. Nickel（Ⅱ） and boric acid concentrations, pH and temperature were varied to evaluate the changes in current efficiency and specific energy consumption of nickel electrodeposition. The catholyte was aqueous nickel（Ⅱ） sulfate and boric acid, and the anolyte was sulfuric acid solution. An anionic membrane separated the anolyte from the catholyte while maintained a conductive path between the two compartments. The results indicated that the cathode current efficiency increased with the increase of nickel concentration, pH and boric acid concentration, and decreased with the increase of current density and stirring rate. A maximum current efficiency of 97.15% was obtained under the optimized conditions of electrolyte composition of 40 g/L Ni and 40 g/L boric acid at temperature of 42 ℃ and pH of 6 with a cathode current density of 300 A/m2.

Design of two-stage membrane reactor for the conversion of coke-oven gas to H_2 and CO

The catalyst function was achieved in two regions in an oxygen permeation membrane reactor： H2 dissociated and reacted with lattice oxygen or oxygen ions to form H20 near the membrane surface. The H20 formed could react with the residual CH4 away from the membrane surface area.

Progress on Porous Ceramic Membrane Reactors for Heterogeneous Catalysis over Ultrafine and Nano-sized Catalysts

Heterogeneous catalysts with ultrafine or nano particle size have currently attracted considerable attentions in the chemical and petrochemical production processes, but their large-scale applications remain challenging because of difficulties associated with their efficient separation from the reaction slurry. A porous ceramic membrane reactor has emerged as a promising method to solve the problem concerning catalysts separation in situ from the reaction mixture and make the production process continuous in heterogeneous catalysis. This article presents a review of the present progress on porous ceramic membrane reactors for heterogeneous catalysis, which covers classification of configurations of porous ceramic membrane reactor, major considerations and some important industrial applications. A special emphasis is paid to major considerations in term of application-oriented ceramic membrane design, optimization of ceramic membrane reactor performance and membrane fouling mechanism. Finally, brief concluding remarks on porous ceramic membrane reactors are given and possible future research interests are also outlined.

Hydrogen production from coke oven gas over LiNi/γ-Al_2O_3 catalyst modified by rare earth metal oxide in a membrane reactor

The performance of LiNi/γ-Al2O3 catalysts modified by rare earth metal oxide （La2O3 or CeO2） packed on BCFNO membrane reactor was discussed for the partial oxidation of methane （POM） in coke oven gas （COG） at 875 ℃. The NiO/γ-Al2O3 catalysts with different amounts of La2O3 and CeO2 were prepared with the same preparation method and under the same condition in order to compare the reaction performance （oxygen permeation, CH4 conversion, H2 and CO selectivity） on the membrane reactor. The results show that the oxygen permeation flux increased significantly with LiNiREOx/γ-Al2O3 （RE = La or Ce） catalysts by adding the element of rare earth especially the Ce during the POM in COG. Such as, the Li15wt%CeO29wt%NiO/γ-Al2O3 catalyst with an oxygen permeation flux of 24.71 ml·cm^-2·min^-1 and a high CH4 conversion was obtained in 875 ℃. The resulted high oxygen permeation flux may be due to the added Ce that inhibited the strong interaction between Ni and Al2O3 to form the NiAl2O4 phase. In addition, the introduction of Ce leads up to an important property of storing and releasing oxygen.

Partial oxidation of simulated hot coke oven gas to syngas over Ru-Ni/Mg(Al)O catalyst in a ceramic membrane reactor

Hydrogen amplification from simulated hot coke oven gas （HCOG） was investigated in a BaCo0.7Fe0.2Nb0.1O3-δ （BCFNO） membrane reactor combined with a Ru-Ni/Mg（Al）O catalyst by the partial oxidation of hydrocarbon compounds under atmospheric pressure. Under optimized reaction conditions, the dense oxygen permeable membrane had an oxygen permeation flux around 13.3 ml/（cm^2·min）. By reforming of the toluene and methane, the amount of H2 in the reaction effluent gas was about 2 times more than that of original H2 in simulated HCOG. The Rn-Ni/Mg（Al）O catalyst used in the membrane reactor possessed good catalytic activity and resistance to coking. After the activity test, a small amount of whisker carbon was observed on the used catalyst, and most of them could be removed in the hydrogen-rich atmosphere, implying that the carbon deposition formed on the catalyst might be a reversible process.

Design and Fabrication of Ceramic Catalytic Membrane Reactors for Green Chemical Engineering Applications

Catalytic membrane reactors(CMRs),which synergistically carry out separations and reactions,are expected to become a green and sustainable technology in chemical engineering.The use of ceramic membranes in CMRs is being widely considered because it permits reactions and separations to be carried out under harsh conditions in terms of both temperature and the chemical environment.This article presents the two most important types of CMRs:those based on dense mixed-conducting membranes for gas separation,and those based on porous ceramic membranes for heterogeneous catalytic processes.New developments in and innovative uses of both types of CMRs over the last decade are presented,along with an overview of our recent work in this field.Membrane reactor design,fabrication,and applications related to energy and environmental areas are highlighted.First,the configuration of membranes and membrane reactors are introduced for each of type of membrane reactor.Next,taking typical catalytic reactions as model systems,the design and optimization of CMRs are illustrated.Finally,challenges and difficulties in the process of industrializing the two types of CMRs are addressed,and a view of the future is outlined.

One-step Continuous Phenol Synthesis Technology via Selective Hydroxylation of Benzene over Ultrafine TS-1 in a Submerged Ceramic Membrane Reactor

A new route towards phenol production by one-step selective hydroxylation of benzene with hydrogen peroxide over ultrafine titanium silicalites-1(TS-1) in a submerged ceramic membrane reactor was developed, which can maintain the in situ removal of ultrafine catalyst particles from the reaction slurry and keep the process continuous.The effects of key operating parameters on the benzene conversion and phenol selectivity, as well as the membrane filtration resistance were examined by single factor experiments. A continuous reaction process was carried out under the obtained optimum operation conditions. Results showed that the system can be continuously and stably operated over 20 h, and the benzene conversion and phenol selectivity kept at about 4% and 91%, respectively. The ceramic membrane exhibits excellent thermal and chemical stability in the continuous reaction process.

Partial oxidation of methane in Ba_(0.5)Sr_(0.5)Co_(0.8)Fe_(0.1)Ni_(0.1)O_(3-δ) ceramic membrane reactor

Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.1Ni0.1O3δ（BSCFNiO） perovskite oxides were synthesized using a combined EDTA-citrate complexation method,and then pressed into disk and applied in a membrane reactor.The performance of the BSCFNiO membrane reactor was studied for partial oxidation of methane over Ni/α-Al 2 O 3 catalyst.The time dependence of oxygen permeation rate and catalytic performance of BSCFNiO membrane during the catalyst initiation stage were investigated at 850 C.In unsteady state,oxygen permeation rate,methane conversion and CO selectivity were closely related to the state of the catalyst.After 300 min from the initial time,the reaction condition reached to steady state and oxygen permeation rate were obtained about 11.7cm 3 cm 2 min 1.Also,the performance of membrane reactor was studied at the temperatures between 750 and 950 C.The results demonstrated good performance for the membrane reactor,as CH 4 conversion and CO selectivity permeation rate reached 98% and 97.5%,respectively,and oxygen permeation rate was about 14.5 cm 3 cm 2 min 1 which was 6.8 times higher than that of air-helium gradient.Characterization of membrane surface by SEM after reaction showed that the original grains disappeared on both surfaces exposed to the air and reaction side,but XRD profile of the polished surface membrane indicated that the membrane bulk preserved the perovskite structure.

Performance of a tubular oxygen-permeable membrane reactor for partial oxidation of CH_4 in coke oven gas to syngas

A gas-tight BaCo 0.7 Fe 0.2 Nb 0.1 O 3-δ（BCFNO） tubular membrane was fabricated by hot pressure casting.And a membrane reactor with BCFNO tubular membrane and Ag-based sealant was readily constructed and applied to partial oxidation of CH4 in coke oven gas.At 875 ℃,95% of methane conversion,91% of H 2 and as high as 10 ml cm-2·min-1 of oxygen permeation flux were obtained.There was a good match in the coefficient of thermal expansion between Ag-based alloy and BCFNO membrane materials.The tubular BCFNO membrane reactor packed with Ni-based catalysts exhibited not only high activity but also good stability in hydrogen-enriched coke oven gas（COG） atmosphere.

Fulvic acid degradation using nanoparticle TiO_2 in a submerged membrane photocatalysis reactor

The degradation of fulvic acid（FA） by nanoparticle TiO2 in a submerged membrane photocatalysis（SMPC） reactor was studied. In this reactor, photocatalytic oxidation and membrane separation co-occured. The continuous air supplier provided O2 for the photocatalytical reaction and mixed the solution through an airflow controller. The particle TiO2 could automatically settle due to gravity without particle agglomeration so it could be easily separated by microfiltration（MF） membrane. It was efficient to maintain high flux of membranes. The effects of operational parameters on the photocatalytic oxidation rate of FA were investigated. Results indicated that photocatalyst at 0.5 g/L and airflow at 0.06 m^3/h were the optimum condition for the removal of fulvic acid, the removal efficiency was higher in acid media than that in alkaline media. The effects of different filtration duration on permeate flux rate of MF with P25 powder and with nanoparticle TiO2 were compared. Experimental results indicated that the permeate flux rate of MF was improved and the membrane fouling phenomenon was reduced with the addition of nanoparticle TiO2 catalyst compared with conventional P25 powder. Therefore, this submerged membrane photocatalysis reactor can faciliate potential application of photocatalytic oxidation process in drinking water treatment.

Modeling of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis in a Slurry Reactor with Water Permeable Membrane

Fischer-Tropsch synthesis is an important chemical process for the production of liquid fuels and olefins. In recent years, the abundant availability of natural gas and the increasing demand of olefins, diesel, and waxes have led to a high interest to further develop this process. A mathematical model of a slurry membrane reactor used for syngas polymerization was developed to simulate and compare the maximum yields and operating conditions in the reactor with that in a conventional slurry reactor. The carbon polymerization was studied from a modeling point of view in a slurry reactor with a water permeable membrane and a conventional slurry reactor. Simulation results show that different parameters affect syngas conversion and carbon product distribution, such as the hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio, and the membrane parameters such as membrane permeance.

Syngas Production Using an Oxygen-Permeating Membrane Reactor with Cofeed of Methane and Carbon Dioxide

CH4-CO2-O-2 reforming to syngas in a never Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3.delta oxygen-permeable membrane reactor using LiLaNiO/gamma-Al2O3 as catalyst was successfully reported. Excellent reaction performance was achieved with around 92% methane conversion efficiency, 95% CO2 conversion rate, and nearly 8.5mL/min.cm(2) oxygen permeation flux. In contrast to the oxygen permeation model with the presence of large concentration of CO2 (under such condition the oxygen permeation flux deteriorates with time), the oxygen permeation flux is really stable under the CH4CO2-O-2 reforming condition.