Simple scalable approach to advanced membrane module design and hydrogen separation performance using twelve replaceable palladium-coated Al2O3 hollow fibre membranes

A phase-inversion approach was used to manufacture Al2O3 hollow fibre supports, which were then sin-tered at 1723 K. The electroless plating technique is developed to prepare palladium-coatedAl(2)O(3) hollow fibre membranes for hydrogen separation. Three different scaling-up configurations were produced and tested: single membrane, membrane unit obtained by assembling three membranes, and advanced membrane module obtained by assembling twelve replaceable membranes. The hydrogen flux was investigated under vacuum and without vacuum using a feed gas of pure H-2 (100%) and a binary feed gas mixture of H-2 (80%) and CO2 (20%) at different feed gas pressures (100-800 kPa), feed gas rate (0.2-6. 0 L min(-1)), and temperature (673-723 K). The hydrogen flux increases from 0.2162 mol m(-2) s(-1) (feed gas pressure = 600 kPa, feed gas rate = 0.2 L min(-1)) to 0.4487 mol m(-2) s(-1) (feed gas pressure = 800 kP a, feed gas rate = 6.0 L min(-1)) under the binary gas mixture at 723 K by switching from a single to the advanced membrane module, while the hydrogen purity remains above 97.5% throughout the experiment. Some aspects about the scalability of palladium-coated Al2O3 hollow fibre membranes for hydrogen separation are discussed. (C) 2022 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The scalability of palladium-coated Al2O3 hollow fiber membranes for hydrogen separation was investigated. By testing different configurations and conditions, it was found that the advanced membrane module achieved higher hydrogen flux at higher temperatures and pressures, while maintaining high hydrogen purity.