Catalytic membrane reactors

The use of catalytic membrane reactors, with simultaneous generation and separation of hydrogen, appears as an attractive approach to optimize downstream separation and to substantially simplify on-site/on-demand fuel reformers. Catalytic membrane reactors reduce capital costs by combining the reforming process and hydrogen separation in one system, allow an enhancement of the fuel conversion of the equilibrium-limited processes, and are able to directly produce a high purity hydrogen stream for feeding PEM fuel cells if dense Pd-based membranes are used. We develop fuel reformers equipped with catalytic membrane reactors and model them in order to design control systems as interface between fuel reformers and fuel cells.

Some relevant publications:

Hedayati, A., Llorca, J. Experimental study of 2-methoxyethanol steam reforming in a membrane reactor for pure hydrogen production. Fuel, 2017, 190, 312-317.

Hedayati, A., Le Corre, O., Lacarrière, B., Llorca, J. Dynamic simulation of pure hydrogen production via ethanol steam reforming in a catalytic membrane reactor. Energy, 2016, 117, 316-324.

Koch, R., López, E., Divins, N.J., Allué, M., Jossen, A., Riera, J., Llorca, J. Ethanol catalytic membrane reformer for direct PEM FC feeding. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2013, 38, 5605-5615.

López, E., Divins, N.J., Llorca, J. Hydrogen production from ethanol over Pd–Rh/CeO2 with a metallic membrane reactor. Catalysis Today, 2012, 193, 145-150.