Application of Palladium Membrane Reactor for Dehydrogenation of Propane

Abstract

The dehydrogenation of propane in palladium membrane reactors was simulated using two models, i.e. the plug flow and radial diffusion models. The expression of hydrogen permeation through a Pd-Ag membrane was obtained from experiments at 673,773 and 873 K, assuming that the permeation follows Sievert’s law. The simulation results agreed well with the experimental values in the membrane reactor for the dehydrogenation of propane on Pt-Sn-K/γ-Al2O3. The membrane thickness played an important role in the performance of the membrane reactor. The conversion of propane was independent of the N2 sweep flow rate when the membrane thickness was larger than 100 μm. Conversely, when the membrane thickness decreased, the conversion increased and gradually leveled off. The effect of radial diffusion was significant at a membrane thickness of 10 μm.