Membrane reactors in chemical production processes and the application to the pervaporation-assisted esterification

When appropriate membrane was used for the assistance of chemical and biochemical equilibrium reactions, it is possible to enhance the yield and the purity of the reaction product by selectively adding educts or selectively removing products and to a lower the energy input and the reaction time compared to conventional process. In this paper a review on membrane reactors with special emphasis on membrane-assistance of esterification reactions and a continuous tube membrane reactor for the pervaporation-assistance of the esterification are presented. The heterogeneously catalyzed esterification of ethanol and acetic acid to ethyl acetate and water was investigated as a typical chemical equilibrium reaction. The selective and simultaneous water separation from the reaction mixture of the esterification with polyvinyl alcohol pervaporation membranes is considered to be an interesting process alternative to the conventional distillation process. Compared to the distillation process, for the pervaporation-assisted process a decrease of the energy input of over 75% and of the investment and operating coasts of over 50% each was calculated.     

Inorganic membranes and membrane reactors

The inorganic membrane reactor is a combined unit operation of chemical reactions and membrane separations. By having a membrane reactor, the downstream separation load can be reduced. Also, the yields can be increased and conversion can be improved for equilibrium limited reactions. However, many of the industrial chemical reactions take place at high temperature that the conventional polymeric membranes cannot withstand. A great deal of research has been done recently to develop ion-conducting ceramic membranes. Many of these have been successfully employed to form membrane reactors for many industrially relevant chemical reactions, such as hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, oxidation, coupled reactions, and decomposition reactions. An overview is given for the area of inorganic membrane preparations and membrane reactors. Many examples of petrochemical interests are presented, including hydrocarbon conversions and fuel cell applications.     

Membrane‐dispersion reactor in homogeneous liquid process

For homogeneous liquid processes, mixing at molecular scale may influence selectivity, yield and quality of final products. In a membrane‐dispersion reactor, microporous membranes are employed as dispersion media for controlled feeding of one solution into another one to intensify micromixing. The reactor has been widely used in the preparation of nanoparticles, preparation of nanocapsules and liposomes, synthesis of polymers, parallel and consecutive reactions to improve nanoparticles quality, molecular weight distribution of polymer, or selectivity of complex reactions. This paper reviewed the progress of the membrane‐dispersion reactor in homogeneous liquid processing including features, applications, advantages and limits. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry .     

Economic feasibility of silica and palladium composite membranes for industrial dehydrogenation reactions

This article addresses the economic feasibility of silica and palladium composite membranes for gaseous dehydrogenation reaction schemes. Unlike other methodologies addressed so far, this work presents the economic assessment of dehydrogenation reaction schemes using a conceptual design based simulation methodology for the comparative economic assessment of membrane reactors with conventional reactors. The suggested methodology is applied to two industrially prominent reaction schemes namely styrene (from ethylbenzene) and propylene (from propane) production using silica and palladium composite membrane reactors. Various sub-cases studied in this work include the influence of membrane area per reaction zone volume, reaction zone temperature, reaction and permeation zone pressure, membrane thickness and sweep gas flow rate on process economics. Based on this work, the propylene production scheme is evaluated to provide 60–70% excess profits using membrane reactors when compared with the conventional reactor based technology. However, the gross profit profiles for both conventional reactor and membrane reactor configurations have been found to be similar for styrene production case. For all cases, the cost contribution of membranes and other auxiliary equipment is estimated not to exceed 20% of the total costs. In addition, similar economic performance has been observed for both silica and palladium membranes. Based on these studies, it has been concluded that the industrial applicability of membrane reactors is economically suitable for those dehydrogenation reactions that enable significant conversion enhancement with respect to the conventional reactor technologies.     

微孔无机膜反应器研究

主要介绍了无机膜在化学反应中的应用－－膜反应器研究，对膜反应器的特点、类型、应用、影响因素以及与其它反应器的比较进行了评述，并对其应用前景进行了展望。     

APPLICATIONS OF A NON-PERMSELECTIVE, CATALYTICALLY ACTIVE MEMBRANE, A MODEL STUDY

A theoretical investigation has been presented for applications and features of a non-permselective, catalytic membrane reactor with separated feed of reactors [12-14, 17, 18]. Transmembrane fluxes were calculated from the dusty gas model as a function of a great number of parameters and operation conditions. This study shows that the non-permselective, catalytic membrane reactor with separated feed of reactants (CMRSR) has attractive features to use this reactor in fast and highly exothermic reactions and selectivity improvement in multiple reactions.

When the CMRSR is operated in the transport controlled regime, the process is easy to control and even possesses some self-controllability. Due to the transport conversion, thermal runaway cannot occur which allows operation with concentrated feed of reactants. Furthermore, a transmembrane pressure difference increases both the fluxes and the selectivity, because the reaction products are preferentially directed towards one side of the membrane. The simultaneous increase of both selectivity and fluxes is a remarkable feature of a CMRSR which is in contrast with conventional reactors.     

多孔膜反应器中丙烷催化脱氢制丙烯的模拟研究

针对丙烷高效脱氢制丙烯的多孔膜反应器构建了无量纲数学模型并进行了模拟研究,考察了催化剂活性、透氢膜性能、操作条件对多孔膜反应器中丙烷脱氢的转化率、丙烯收率、氢气收率和纯度的影响。结果表明,移走产物氢气可以有效提升膜反应器的性能,其性能的提升程度由不同温压条件下催化剂和透氢膜性能共同决定。高活性催化剂是丙烷高效转化的基础,催化剂活性越高,膜反应器内的产氢速率越快;其次,膜的选择性和渗透通量越高,氢气的移除效率越高,可在最大程度上打破热力学平衡的限制,使反应向生成丙烯的方向移动。当多孔透氢膜的氢气渗透率在10^-7~10^-6 mol·m^-2·s^-1·Pa^-1,H₂/C₃H₈选择性达到100时,其丙烷转化率可以与Pd膜反应器内的转化率相当,但分离的氢气纯度低于Pd膜反应器。与传统的固定床反应器相比,膜反应器由于促进了化学平衡的移动,可以在较低的反应温度下获得相当高的丙烷转化率,且丙烷转化率随着反应压力的增加呈现出一个最大值。该模拟研究可为实际生产过程中膜反应器用于PDH反应的高效强化提供有益的技术指导。     

Selectivity characteristics of the electrohydrodimerization of acrylonitrile

A mathematical model of a reaction scheme for the electrohydrodymerization of acrylonitrile to adiponitrile in a loop reactor is presented. This model, which is based on a plug flow reactor with a recycle loop and continuous removal of product, is used to simulate steady-state operation at various operating conditions. The effect of flowrate, current density and mass transport are investigated in terms of their effect on product distributions and selectivity. Overall, the reaction model deals with the formation of five products from the cathodic reactions.     

Synthesis of MTBE in zeolite membrane reactors

A zeolite membrane was employed to selectively remove water from the reaction atmosphere during the gas-phase synthesis of methyl-tert-butyl ether (MTBE) from tert-butanol and methanol. This reaction was carried out over a bed of Amberlyst™ 15 catalyst packed on the inside of a zeolite tubular membrane. The results obtained with different hydrophilic membranes (mordenite or NaA zeolite) are presented. Prior to reaction, the zeolite membranes were characterized by measuring their performance in the separation of the equilibrium mixture containing water, methanol, tert-butanol, MTBE and isobutene. The results obtained with zeolite membrane reactors (ZMR) were compared with those of a fixed bed reactor (FBR) under the same operating conditions. MTBE yields obtained with the ZMR at 334 K reached 67.6%, under conditions where the equilibrium value without product removal (FBR) would be 60.9%.     

Progress in membrane gas–liquid reactors

Gas–liquid reactions are crucially important in chemical synthesis and industries. In recent years, membrane gas–liquid reactors have attracted great attentions due to their high selectivity, productivity and efficiency, and easy process control and scale‐up. Membrane gas–liquid reactors can be divided into three categories: dispersive membrane reactor, non‐dispersive membrane reactor and pore flowthrough reactor. The progress in membrane gas–liquid reactors, including features, applications, advantages and limits, is briefly reviewed. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Sorbent-enhanced/membrane-assisted steam-methane reforming

Thermodynamic equilibrium and kinetic reactor models are used to simulate a fluidized bed membrane reactor with in situ or ex situ hydrogen and/or CO₂ removal for production of pure hydrogen by steam methane reforming. In the equilibrium model, the membranes and CO₂ removal are located in separate vessels downstream of the reformer. As the recycle ratio increases, the overall performance approaches that where membranes are located inside the reactor. Whether located in situ or ex situ, hydrogen removal by membranes and CO₂ capture by sorbents both enhance hydrogen production. In the kinetic reactor model, a circulating fluidized bed membrane reformer is coupled with a catalyst/sorbent regenerator. Sorbent enhancement combined with membranes could provide very high hydrogen yields. In addition, since carbonation is exothermic, with its heat of reaction similar in magnitude to the endothermic heat of reaction of the net reforming reactions, sorbent enhancement can provide much of the heat needed in the reformer. The overall heat needed for the process would then be provided in a separate calciner, acting as a sorbent regenerator. While the technology is promising, several practical issues need to be examined.     

Simulations of the effect of hydrodynamic conditions and properties of membranes on the catalytic performance of a fluidized-bed membrane reactor for partial oxidation of methane

In a fluidized-bed membrane reactor the selectivity of separation can be controlled by influencing the hydrodynamics of the fluidized bed. In this reactor type, with the mass transport limitation between bubbles and the emulsion phase, even with the non-selective membranes, high selectivity of separation can be achieved. This opens the possibility for applications of membrane reactors for reaction systems for which selective membranes do not exist, e.g. when Knudsen-type membranes or form-selective separation can not be applied. This paper is aimed at explaining the interaction between the selectivity of separation and the hydrodynamics of the fluidized bed by means of simulations that were performed for a fluidized-bed membrane reactor for catalytic partial oxidation of methane.     

Selectivity of partial hydrogenation reactions performed in a pore-through-flow catalytic membrane reactor

The selectivity of partial hydrogenation reactions of unsaturated substrates was studied in a membrane reactor operating at 323 K and 40 bar hydrogen pressure. The reactor system was constructed as a loop of a saturation vessel and a membrane module in which the reaction mixture was resaturated with hydrogen up to 100 times. In a porous membrane made from cross-linked polyacrylic acid palladium nanoparticles were incorporated as catalysts. A well-defined residence time within the membrane was achieved due to a defined pore structure of the membrane and a convective mass flow of the reaction mixture through the membrane. The selectivity for the partially hydrogenated products was investigated as a function of the pore size of the PAA membrane and was compared to commercially available catalysts. Compared to experiments with supported catalysts (Pd/C and Pd/Al₂O₃) in a slurry and a fixed bed reactor the selectivity for the desired products could be increased by 3% (1-octyne) up to 40% (geraniol).     

Understanding and optimization of chemical reactor performance for bimodal reaction sequences

The relative contributions of heterogeneously catalyzed and homogeneous bulk phase reactions in bimodal reaction sequences have been assessed via 1D reactor simulations. Starting from a reaction network only comprising two parallel, irreversible heterogeneously catalyzed and homogeneous bulk phase steps, complementary consecutive steps were included with the option of being reversible. The final product formed after a minimum number of homogeneous bulk phase reactions is obtained with high yields in continuous flow fixed bed reactors. The products obtained after a higher number of homogeneous bulk phase reactions generally dominate in slurry reactors. Yields of the latter may exhibit an optimum as a function of the catalyst amount in the reactor. The adsorption enthalpies of the intermediates in the reaction network critically determine the position and shape of this maximum. The reversibility of the homogeneous bulk phase steps provides specific opportunities to tune the product yields in bimodal reaction sequences. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 111–119, 2017     

沸石膜反应器苯脱氢反应性能

采用管式沸石膜反应器,研究了乙苯脱氢反应生成苯乙烯的性能。考察了不同渗透分离性能的沸石膜对乙苯脱氢反应的影响和不同沸石膜反应器上乙苯脱氢反应的规律。结果表明,与固定床操作条件下相比,沸石膜反应器乙苯转化率可提高近10％－16％,苯乙烯选择性可提高3％－5％。渗透分离性能是决定沸石膜提高脱氢反应性能的最重要因素,H2渗透量越大、H2／C3H8分离系数越高,对反应越有利。渗透分离性能相近但类型不同的沸石膜对乙苯脱氢反应性能有差异,其中Fe-ZSM-5沸石膜反应性能较好,这是杂原子Fe进入沸石骨架后引起的。反应后膜的渗透分离性能略有变化。     

Catalytic wet oxidation of phenol using membrane reactors: A comparative study with slurry-type reactors

The wet air oxidation of phenol over cerium mixed oxides has been carried in autoclave slurry-type reactor and also in a contactor type membrane reactor to assist about the benefits provided by the employment of the mesoporous top layer of a ceramic tubular membrane as catalyst (Ce mixed oxides) support. The effect of mixed oxide composition and use of Pt as dopant onto the phenol removal rate and selectivity towards mineralization have been studied on both types of reactor. For slurry-type reactors, two different autoclave reactors were used: one mechanically stirred highly pressurized, and the other magnetically stirred containing a porous stainless steel membrane as gas diffuser in an attempt to attain higher gas–liquid interfacial area. The performances of these reactors have been compared under similar reaction conditions (i.e. catalyst loading/liquid volume, temperature, phenol concentration) although the way in which reactants are fed to the reaction vessel (different among each other configuration) is clearly affecting the CWO phenol degradation route. From the catalytic systems studied, Pt doped Ce–Zr mixed oxides exhibit the best reaction performance in spite of the achieved phenol conversion levels are below 50%. For autoclave reactors, the gas feeding to the liquid volume by a membrane diffuser has almost no effect on phenol removal for the reaction conditions tested; whereas the catalytic membrane contactor type reactor clearly outperform autoclave reactor provided with membrane diffuser.     

微反应技术在氢化反应中的应用进展

氢化反应是有机合成中的一类重要反应,应用广泛.目前,氢化反应大多是在高压反应釜中间歇进行,有存在爆炸风险、转化率和选择性低等缺点,因此,开发新的、安全、高效的氢化工艺是必要的.微通道反应器能精确控制温度和反应时间,并且混合均匀,传质性能高,能极大提高反应选择性和生产产量,减少催化剂损耗.总结了微通道反应器中烯烃、炔烃、...     

Experimental Evaluation of Dehydrogenations Using Catalytic Membrane Processes

Abstract

Many industrially important dehydrogenation reactions are operated under conditions where the equilibrium conversion is limited by the production of hydrogen. Ceramic membrane reactors offer the potential for increased conversion at existing operating temperatures or reduced operating temperature for the same conversion level by removal of product hydrogen.

This paper reports the results of recent efforts to develop catalytic membrane reactors for the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene. The focus of this study was to compare the performance of a hybrid reactor, consisting of a packed bed followed by a membrane reactor, with that of a traditional two-stage packed-bed reactor under industrially relevant conditions. The hybrid configuration mimics the simplest implementation of a ceramic membrane reactor, simulating the use of the membrane reactor as an add on stage to the existing reactor train.

A benchscale system has been developed that is capable of experimentally simulating the industrial operation. Features of this system include syringe pumps from which an ethylbenzene liquid hourly space velocity of 0.4 hr^?1 is attainable with a water:ethylbenzene molar ratio of 9, a 7-zone furnace in which isothermal catalyst bed temperature profiles within ± 1°C are achieved, and two dual FID/TCD on-line gas chromatographs for simultaneous analysis of the entire spectrum of compounds in the permeate and reject effluents from the reactor with 30 minute analysis turnaround time. The membrane module incorporates a four-point thermocouple in the catalyst bed to insure isothermal operation and three single-point thermocouples on the permeate side for monitoring purposes.

Results obtained with this system showed a 4% yield enhancement to styrene in the hybrid reactor compared to the traditional two-stage packed bed. This enhancement was achieved with no loss in styrene selectivity. Carbon deposition on the membrane was observed during reaction which rapidly reduced the permeability from 70 m³/m²/hr/atm for the fresh membrane to a value of 2 m³/m²/hr/atm under reaction conditions. This 2 m³/m²/hr/atm permeability was a steady state value representing a dynamic equilibrium between coke formation from organic compounds and coke removal due to the presence of steam in the reaction mixture and was constant for run times in excess of 100 hours.     

A Brief History of Chemical Reactor and Reaction Technology

The term “chemical reactor” appears for the first time in open literature at the end of First World War, while in Germany the term “reaction technology” was coined in the 1950s, although chemical reactions and processes have been known for thousands of years. In the early days, reactors were furnaces and pots, which specialized further over the centuries. With the Industrial Revolution many reactor types were already known, and industrialization brought an enormous innovation thrust in the field of products as well as technologies. The diversity of reactors today is almost uncomprehensive and so efforts to standardize apparatus are understandable.     

Oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propene, 1: Kinetic study on V/MgO

The reaction kinetics of the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propene over a V/MgO catalyst were studied. Both propane and propene oxidation kinetics were measured independently to quantify the rates of the parallel and consecutive reactions to propene and carbon oxides. Specific experiments to evaluate reaction products effects showed that water inhibited reaction rates but co‐feeding CO₂ or propene had no measurable effect on selectivity or conversion. Kinetic data generated under integral reactor conditions and over an inert membrane reactor have also been used to estimate the kinetic parameters. Selectivity decreased as the oxygen partial pressure increased; however, propene yield was relatively insensitive to oxygen concentration. A dual site Mars‐van Krevelen model characterizes the reaction kinetics well. The role of lattice oxygen was established by alternating pulses of propane and oxygen. This redox model is able to predict the experimental tendencies observed in the three types of reactor studied.