A Novel Porous-Dense Dual-Layer Composite Membrane Reactor with Long-Term Stability

A porous-dense dual-layer composite membrane reactor was proposed. The dual-layer composite membrane composed of dense 0.5 wt % Nb2O5-doped SrCo0.8Fe0.2O3- (SCFNb) layer and porous Ba0.3Sr0.7Fe0.9Mo0.1O3- (BSFM) layer was prepared. The stability of SCFNb membrane reactor was improved significantly by the porous-dense dual-layer design philosophy. The porous BSFM surface-coating layer can effectively reduce the corrosion of the reducing atmosphere to the membrane, whereas the dense SCFNb layer permeated oxygen effectively. Compared with single-layer dense SCFNb membrane reactor, no degradation of performance was observed in the dual-layer membrane reactor under partial oxidation of methane during continuously operating for 1500 h at 850 degrees C. At 900 degrees C, oxygen flux of 18.6 mL (STP: Standard Temperature and Pressure) cm(-2) min(-1), hydrogen production of 53.67 mL (STP) cm(-2) min(-1), CH4 conversion of 99.34% and CO selectivity of about 94% were achieved. (c) 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 4355-4363, 2013