Performance of an oxygen-permeable membrane reactor for partial oxidation of methane in coke oven gas to syngas

Perovskite-type oxygen-permeable membrane reactors of BaCo_0.7Fe_0.2Nb_0.1O_3−δ packed with Ni-based catalyst had high oxygen permeability and could be used for syngas production by partial oxidation of methane in coke oven gas (COG). The BCFNO membrane itself had a poor catalytic activity to partial oxidation of CH₄ in COG. After the catalyst was packed on the membrane surface, 92% of methane conversion, 90% of H₂ selectivity, 104% of CO selectivity and as high as 15 ml/cm²/min of oxygen permeation flux were obtained at 1148 K. During continuously operating for 550 h at 1148 K, no degradation of performance of the BCFNO membrane reactor was observed under the condition of hydrogen-rich COG. The possible reaction pathways were proposed to be an oxidation-reforming process. The oxidation of H₂ in COG with the surface oxygen on the permeation side improves the oxygen flux through the membrane, and H₂O reacts with CH₄ by reforming reactions to form H₂ and CO.