Affiliation: | aInstitut de Recherches sur la Catalyse-CNRS, 2 Av. A. Einstein, 69626 Villeurbanne, France bSINTEF, Richard Birkelands vei 2B, NO-7465 Trondheim, Norway cSINTEF, P.O. Box 124 Blindern, NO-0314 Oslo, Norway |
Abstract: | This paper deals with the influence of catalytic membrane structure on the way the gas pressure affects the efficiency of a catalytic membrane reactor (CMR). The CMR is an interfacial contactor, used for wet air oxidation, formic acid solution and air being fed separately from both sides of the catalytic membrane. The gas overpressure can shift the gas–liquid interface into the membrane wall, closer to the catalytic zone, and therefore greatly increase the reaction rate. It has been confirmed that this was not an oxygen partial pressure effect. When compared to a conventional slurry reactor, the contactor CMR showed a reaction rate more than three times higher. |