Fixed bed membrane reactor for hydrogen production from steam methane reforming: Experimental and modeling approach

Abstract

This work describes the results from experimental tests on the membrane reactor in terms of hydrogen recovery factor and fuel conversion at different operating conditions. A test bench for a fixed bed membrane reactor, placed in the Laboratory of Micro-Cogeneration (LMC) of Politecnico di Milano, is designed to operate in a wide range of operating conditions: the maximum temperature and pressure are respectively 923 K and 700 kPa. An hydrogen permeability value of 5.16·10−11 mol/(msPa0.71) at 723 K have been determined. The best operating conditions (873 K, 500 kPa) allow to reach a methane conversion of 47.4% and an hydrogen recovery factor of 28.1%. Results are used to validate a one-dimensional finite volume model of the overall membrane reactor, solved in Matlab®.