Steam Conversion of Ethane and Methane–Ethane Mixtures in Membrane Reactor with a Foil from Pd–Ru Alloy

Abstract

The features of steam conversion of ethane and methane-ethane mixtures containing 5, 10 and 15% ethane in a membrane reactor with a 30 μm thick Pd–Ru foil at temperatures of 1800 and 3600 h–1 and steam/feed rations of 3 and 5 have been investigated. Comparative experiments with “non-membrane” reaction have shown that in the membrane reactor the feedstock conversion to form H2 and CO2 increases and ethane hydrocracking decreases. Increasing the rate of H2 recovery through the membrane by permeate evacuation leads to an increase in the yield of H2 and CO2. With a decrease in the steam/feed ratio from 5 to 3, the ethane hydrocracking and the rate of carbon deposits formation increases. Optimal conditions for steam conversion of ethane and methane-ethane mixtures are T = 773 K, feed space velocity of 1800 h–1 and steam/feed ratio of 5. The established regularities are similar to those obtained earlier for other types of raw materials (mixtures of methane with propane, propane, n-butane, a mixture simulating the average composition of associated petroleum gas) in this membrane reactor.