Fluidized bed membrane reactors for ultra pure H\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e production - A step forward towards commercialization

\u3cp\u3eIn this research the performance of a fluidized bed membrane reactor for high temperature water gas shift and its long term stability was investigated to provide a proof-of-concept of the new system at lab scale. A demonstration unit with a capacity of 1 Nm\u3csup\u3e3\u3c/sup\u3e/h of ultra-pure H\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e was designed, built and operated over 900 h of continuous work. Firstly, the performance of the membranes were investigated at different inlet gas compositions and at different temperatures and H\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e partial pressure differences. The membranes showed very high H\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e fluxes (3.89 × 10\u3csup\u3e-6\u3c/sup\u3e mol·m\u3csup\u3e-2\u3c/sup\u3e· Pa\u3csup\u3e-1\u3c/sup\u3e·s\u3csup\u3e-1\u3c/sup\u3e at 400 °C and 1 atm pressure difference) with a H\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e/N\u3csub\u3e2\u3c/sub\u3e ideal perm-selectivity (up to 21,000 when integrating five membranes in the module) beyond the DOE 2015 targets. Monitoring the performance of the membranes and the reactor confirmed a very stable performance of the unit for continuous high temperature water gas shift under bubbling fluidization conditions. Several experiments were carried out at different temperatures, pressures and various inlet compositions to determine the optimum operating window for the reactor. The obtained results showed high hydrogen recovery factors, and very low CO concentrations at the permeate side (in average \u3c/p\u3