Membrane application in Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to enhance CO2 hydrogenation

The present work experimentally demonstrates that the conversion of CO2 to long-chain hydrocarbons via CO2 shift and Fischer-Tropsch reaction can be enhanced by in situ H2O removal. The experiments are carried out in a packed-bed reactor with an integrated silica membrane. Though the membrane exhibits low permselectivities regarding H2O under Fischer-Tropsch conditions, the deficiencies in permselectivity can be overcome by the choice of H-2 and H-2/CO2 as the sweep-gas. The increase in conversion and yield is attributed to the removal of H2O, which is shown by experimental data analysis based on a reaction engineering type model of the inert membrane packed-bed reactor.