Methane steam reforming using a membrane reactor equipped with a Pd-based composite membrane for effective hydrogen production

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy 2018-03, Vol.43 (11), p.5863-5872
• Main Authors: Kim, Chang-Hyun, Han, Jae-Yun, Lim, Hankwon, Lee, Kwan-Young, Ryi, Shin-Kun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Hydrogen; Long-term stability; Membrane reactor; Methane steam reforming; Pd-based membrane; Pre-combustion
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.10.054

Herein, a methane steam reforming (MSR) reaction was carried out using a Pd composite membrane reactor packed with a commercial Ru/Al2O3 catalyst under mild operating conditions, to produce hydrogen with CO2 capture. The Pd composite membrane was fabricated on a tubular stainless steel support by the electroless plating (ELP) method. The membrane exhibited a hydrogen permeance of 2.26 × 10−3 mol m2 s−1 Pa−0.5, H2/N2 selectivity of 145 at 773 K, and pressure difference of 20.3 kPa. The MSR reaction, which was carried out at steam to carbon ratio (S/C) = 3.0, gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) = 1700 h−1, and 773 K, showed that methane conversion increased with the pressure difference and reached 79.5% at ΔP = 506 kPa. This value was ∼1.9 time higher than the equilibrium value at 773 K and 101 kPa. Comparing with the previous studies which introduced sweeping gas for low hydrogen partial pressure in the permeate stream, very high pressure difference (2500–2900 kPa) for increase of hydrogen recovery and very low GHSV ( 97% and ∼0.1 Nm3 h−1 for ∼145 h.•Components of the retentate side were primarily carbon dioxide (67.8%) and methane (22.2%).