POROUS MEMBRANE REACTORS FOR HYDROGEN-SULFIDE SPLITTING

The potential of porous membrane reactors has been examined for a particular application: the hydrogen sulfide thermal-catalytic decomposition reaction. A model has been proposed in which the reaction products and the remaining reactant are al thermodynamic equilibrium. The possibility of membranes as disturbers of this equilibrium has been studied, assuming a complete stirred tank reactor or mixed flow reactor (CSTR). Results show that membrane CSTR conversions become more attractive as the operating temperature increases. At 1100 degrees C, the membrane CSTR conversion provides 9.2% of additional conversion, compared with the conventional CSTR. Also, it is shown that both the feed pressure and feed flow to membrane area ratios are operating variables needing to be optimized. This optimization is dependent upon the membrane's particular permeability characteristics.