Steam Conversion of Propane in a Membrane Reactor with a Commercial Nickel Catalyst

The propane conversion in a membrane reactor with NIAP-03-01 commercial Ni catalyst at temperatures of 673, 723, 773, and 823 K, feed space velocities of 1800 and 3600 h(-1), and steam/propane ratios of 5 and 7 was studied. The H-2 removal through the membrane leads to an increase in the conversion of the feed to H-2 and CO2 formed by the water-gas shift reaction. The conversion in this reaction increases when the rate of the H-2 recovery through the membrane is increased by the permeate evacuation. In the temperature interval 773-823 K, the feed conversion is 100%, and about 90% of high-purity H-2 is recovered from the reaction mixture. An increase in the feed/catalyst contact time leads to a decrease in the feed conversion to the target products and to an increase in the rate of carbon deposit formation. The regularities of the steam conversion of propane in a membrane reactor are similar to those found previously for n-butane with the same catalyst and under the same conditions.