THE WATER GAS SHIFT REACTION ASSISTED BY A PALLADIUM MEMBRANE REACTOR

The water gas shift reaction was operated at 673 K by use of a double tubular type membrane reactor, the inner tube of which was palladium membrane (thickness, 20-mu-m) supported on a porous glass cylinder. The membrane reactor provided higher levels of carbon monoxide conversion beyond equilibrium attainable in a closed system resulting from shift of thermodynamic equilibrium toward the product side, which was caused by selective and rapid removal of hydrogen from the reaction system. Further, it was found that the amount of steam required to achieve reasonable levels of conversion could be reduced, and on the basis of computer simulation, the high reaction efficiency attained by this membrane reactor is credited to the thinness of the palladium film.