Membrane Reactor Engineering Applications for a Greener Process Industry

Uniquely focussed on the engineering aspects of membrane reactors

• Provides tools for analysis with specific regard to sustainability
• Applications include water treatment, wastewater recycling, desalination, biorefineries, agro-food production
• Membrane reactors can bring energy saving, reduced environmental impact and lower operating costs

Preface vii

Contributors x

Part 1 Fundamental Studies on Membrane Reactor Engineering 1

1 Membrane Reactors: The Technology State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives 3
Gaetano Iaquaniello, Gabriele Centi, Marcello De Falco and Angelo Basile

2 Criteria for a Palladium Membrane Reactor or Separator Design II: Concentration Polarization Effects 22
Moshe Sheintuch

3 Structured Catalysts and Support for Membrane Reactors 37
Vincenzo Palma, Marco Martino, Antonio Ricca and Paolo Ciambelli

4 Elements of Reactor Design and Development of Process Schemes for Membrane Reactors 59
Marcello De Falco and Angelo Basile

5 Ceramic Membranes with Mixed Ionic and Electronic Conductivity: Oxygen and Hydrogen Transporting Membranes – Synthesis, Characterization, Applications 75
Juergen Caro and Yanying Wei

6 Polymeric Membrane Reactors 104
K. Ghasemzadeh, A. Aghaeinejad-Meybodi and Angelo Basile

7 Ceramic Membrane Reactors: Theory and Applications 138
K. Ghasemzadeh and Angelo Basile

Part 2 Applications 163

8 Membrane Reactors for Hydrocarbon Dehydrogenation 165
Gaetano Iaquaniello, F.S. Martorelli, Emma Palo, Annarita Salladini and Angelo Basile

9 Pd-Based Membrane Reactors for Syngas Preparation and WGS 184
Gaetano Iaquaniello, Emma Palo and Annarita Salladini

10 Membrane Reactors Powered by Solar Energy 201
Alberto Giaconia and Luca Turchetti

11 Molten Salt Solar Steam Reforming: Process Schemes Analysis 225
Barbara Morico, Alessio Gentile and Gaetano Iaquaniello

12 Membrane Reforming Pilot Testing: KT Experiences 242
Annarita Salladini, Gaetano Iaquaniello and Emma Palo

13 Gas Separation by Polymer Membranes: Research Activity and Industrial Applications 256
Pluton Pullumbi

14 Pervaporation and Membrane Contactors 280
Angelo Basile, F. Galiano, S. Santoro and Alberto Figoli

15 Fuel Cells: A General Overview, Applications and Future Trends 313
Michel Cassir and Aturo Meléndez-Ceballos

Index 328

Angelo Basile is a senior researcher at the Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR). His research is focussed on ultra-pure hydrogen production and CO2 capture using inorganic membrane reactors as well as on the polymeric membranes (preparation and characterization) to be used for gas separation. Basile has published over 100 papers in the field of membrane technology, written over 50 book chapters and edited or co-edited 15 books.

Marcello De Falco is a researcher in the Engineering Faculty of University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Italy, and Assistant Professor of Dynamics and Control of Industrial Processes. His research activity is mainly focused on chemical reactors mathematical modelling, hydrogen production processes, solar technologies, and cogeneration plants design. He has edited 3 books.

Gaetano Iaquaniello is Vice President Technology and Business Development at KT Kinetics Technology Spa, Rome, Italy, where he has worked for more than 30 years. He has published in the area of combustion and combustion control, syngas manufacturing and optimization, and more recently on membrane reactors. He is also author of more than 10 patents and patents’ application.

Gabriele Centi is Professor of Industrial Chemistry at the University of Messina, Italy, and President of the European Research Institute of Catalysis (ERIC). His research interests are in the areas of applied heterogeneous catalysis, sustainable energy and chemical processes, and environment protection. He has published over 30 reviews, over 300 scientific publications, is author/editor of 10 books of catalysis and over 10 special issues of international journals.