Abstract
Catalytic membrane reactors have been widely used in different production industries around the world. Applying a catalytic membrane reactor (CMR) reduces waste generation from a cleaner process perspective and reduces energy consumption in line with the process intensification strategy. A CMR combines a chemical or biochemical reaction with a membrane separation process in a single unit by improving the performance of the process in terms of conversion and selectivity. The core of the CMR is the membrane which can be polymeric or inorganic depending on the operating conditions of the catalytic process. Besides, the membrane can be inert or catalytically active. The number of studies devoted to applying CMR with higher membrane area per unit volume in multi-phase reactions remains very limited for both catalytic polymeric and inorganic membranes. The various bio-based catalytic membrane system is also used in a different commercial application. The opportunities and advantages offered by applying catalytic membrane reactors to multi-phase systems need to be further explored. In this review, the preparation and the application of inorganic membrane reactors in the different catalytic processes as water gas shift (WGS), Fisher Tropsch synthesis (FTS), selective CO oxidation (CO SeLox), and so on, have been discussed.
Highlights
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This combination determines higher conversion and improved selectivity and a compact and cost-effective separation process with chemical or biochemical reactions in a single unit [2]. This combi nation determines higher conversion and improved selectivity and a compact and cost effective reactor design [3]. Considering these aspects, membrane reactors (MRs) repre sent a potential technology in different fields: pharmaceutical, biotechnology, petrochem ical sectors, energy, and environmental applications, including phase chang2 eofb22ehaviou
For increasing the hydrogen produced by steam methane reforming (SMR), the water-gas shift (WGS) produces H2 and CO2 from carbon monoxide and steam
Summary
Fisher Tropsch synthesis (FTS) converts the syngas, obtained from natural gas or biomass, into liquid hydrocarbons (see Equation (1)) and on an industrial scale, iron and cobalt-based catalysts are used [80]. In an actual SelOx process, the gas stream, after the WGS, contains CO2 (20–25%) and Medrano et al [99] demonstrated as the CO2 causes a decrease of the conversion and the selectivity due to the presence of the reverse water gas shift that limited the CO oxidation at elevated temperature. Their use at an industrial scale is missing among the different works focused on applying membrane reactors in various industrial processes. Polymeric membranes may be well employed in catalytic reactions (liquid phase) [100]
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