Simulation study on the effect of gas permeation on the hydrodynamic characteristics of membrane-assisted micro fluidized beds

Recent research has shown the potential of membrane-assisted fluidized bed reactors for various applications, and for ultra-pure hydrogen production in particular. Due to the excellent mass transfer characteristics of fluidized beds, concentration polarization (i.e. mass transfer limitation) can be overcome and the production capacity of membrane-assisted fluidized bed reactors could be further improved by maximizing the installed membrane area per unit volume, leading to the concept of a micro-structured membrane-assisted fluidized bed reactor. In this study, numerical simulations have been systematically carried out with a discrete particle model to investigate in detail the effects of gas addition and extraction through the confining porous membrane walls on the hydrodynamic characteristics of a single membrane-assisted micro fluidized bed compartment. In particular, the effect of the permeation ratio (amount of gas permeated through the membrane relative to the amount fed) and the installed membrane area on the hydrodynamics was investigated. Gas addition or extraction via the porous membrane walls confining the emulsion phase was simulated via inward or outward directed fluxes of the gas phase, which was found to have a very pronounced influence on the bed hydrodynamics. The effects of gas permeation on the solids circulation pattern, solids holdup distribution and porosity probability density function in membrane-assisted micro fluidized beds have been discussed in great detail. It has been found that gas permeation can have an adverse effect on the bed expansion caused by gas by-passing either through the bed center for the case of gas extraction or close to the membrane walls for the case of gas addition. In addition, the formation of densified zones (increased solids holdup) close to the membrane wall that was observed in case of gas extraction may increase the bed-to-membrane mass transfer resistance. These effects may strongly decrease the gas-solid contacting and the gas residence time, which may deteriorate the reactor performance. On the other hand, it is shown that these problems caused by gas permeation may be avoided by properly tuning the gas velocity through the membrane via membrane area and other design parameters and operating conditions