The fluidized bed membrane reactor system: A pilot scale experimental study

An experimental investigation has been performed to examine a novel reactor which combines advantages of fluidized beds as catalytic reactors, in particular catalyst bed uniformity, improved heat transfer and virtual elimination of diffusional limitations, with advantages offered by permselective membrane technology, in particular shifting the conventional thermodynamic equilibrium and the in situ separation and removal of a desirable reaction product. A pilot scale reforming plant was commissioned to study the new fluidized bed membrane reactor (FBMR) system for steam reforming of natural gas. The reactor has a hydrogen production capacity of 6 m(3)/h (STP) and a main body diameter of 97 mm, designed to withstand temperatures up to 1023 degrees C and pressures up to 1.5 MPa. Thin-walled palladium-based tubes are provided as hydrogen permselective membranes. The experiments validated the FBMR concept, showed the relative importance of different operating variables influencing the reactor performance and allowed the effectiveness of hydrogen permeation through palladium-based membranes in a fluidized bed environment to be evaluated.