EFFECT OF THE MEMBRANE-ACTIVITY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF A CATALYTIC MEMBRANE REACTOR

A mathematical model for a catalytic membrane reactor for oxidative co upling of methane (OCM), in which the membrane acts as an oxygen distr ibutor to a bed of catalyst, is presented. From experimental data obta ined using several silica membranes impregnated with Li and/or Na, whi ch were prepared by the sol-gel method using alumina supports, the cat alytic activity of the membrane was included in the so-called real mem brane reactor (RMR) model. Then, the RMR performance was compared with that of the ideal membrane reactor (IMR), whose membrane was supposed to have no activity for the OCM and with experimental data obtained i n membrane reactors. Since the membrane activity was implemented in th e RMR model, for the first time in the literature, maxima in the hydro carbon selectivity-methane conversion curves were predicted in agreeme nt with previous experimental trends. Besides, the IMR performance was compared with that of the fixed-bed reactor (FBR), giving the maximum improvement of a membrane reactor over the FBR. Key factors for the f uture improvement of the performance in this kind of membrane reactor are deduced from these simulations.