Modeling a catalytic polymeric non-porous membrane reactor

A theoretical study on a catalytic polymeric non-porous membrane reactor is performed. The conversion enhancement over the thermodynamic equilibrium i s studied when conducting an equilibrium gas-phase reaction of the type A B double left right arrow C + D. The model used considers perfectly mixed Row patterns and isothermal operation for the retentate and permeate. It is concluded that the conversion of a reversible reaction can be significantl y enhanced when the reactants' diffusion coefficients are lower and/or sorp tion coefficients are higher than the products'. This happens for Thiele mo dulus and contact time over certain threshold values. It was also observed that it is preferable to enhance conversion through an increase in the reac tants' sorption coefficients, since this leads to lower reactor dimensions. Since the performance of a non-porous membrane reactor depends on both the sorption and diffusion coefficients, a study of such system cannot be base d exclusively on the permeabilities of the components. Favorable combinatio ns of diffusion and sorption coefficients can provide a coupled effect over the reactor's conversion. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserv ed.