Computer-aided optimisation of catalytic dehydrogenation in packed-bed membrane reactor

Abstract

Catalytic membrane reactors offer the opportunity to combine chemical reaction with the separation activity of the membrane in one unit operation. In order to determine suitable operating conditions, numerical simulations are performed and results obtained are compared to results from conventional reactor. The effects of the inner compartment radius and the reactor length are also investigated. The chemical reaction studied is the catalytic dehydrogenation of isobutane.