SIMULATION OF MEMBRANE REACTOR FOR HYDROGEN PRODUCTION

Abstract

The present investigation pertains to a theoretical study of mathematical model of fluidized bed membrane reactor for methane steam reforming, by simulating the operating variables of the reactor for high pressure gas conversion and yield of hydrogen. Basically, it deals with the development of the mathematical model of a batch reactor and fluidized bed membrane reactor under perfectly mixed (CSTR) and plug flow (PFR) conditions for methane steam reforming. Finally, it investigates the effect of operating variables of the batch reactor and fluidized bed membrane reactor under plug flow conditions on the methane gas conversion and yield of hydrogen. Using the equations of mass balance in a batch reactor and kinetic equations of methane steam reforming by the author Xuet. al., a mathematical model has been developed. The resulting model has been solved on MATLAB for the methane gas conversion and yield of hydrogen. The effects of operating variables, viz; reactor pressure, temperature, steam to methane ratio (SMR) and oxygen to methane ratio (OMR) have been studied. Result reveal that methane gas conversion and yield of hydrogen increases with increase in temperature and SMR whereas decrease with decrease in reactor pressure. Further, the mathematical model of fluidized bed membrane reactor under CSTR and PFR conditions have been developed by using the mass balance macroscopically for the same kinetics of methane steam reforming, given by Xu et. al. The models have been simulated by the MATLAB and the comparison was made, which showed that PFR model provides better yield of hydrogen and methane gas conversion. Further the PFR model has been validated with the experimental data of methane gas conversion and yield of hydrogen available in the literature and was found that the model arc in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Parametric effect of the operating variables, namely, reactor pressure, temperature, SMR, OMR, number of membrane tubes, flow rate of sweep gas and permeate side pressure, of PFR model on methane gas conversion and yield of hydrogen increases with increase in reactor pressure, temperature, number of membrane tubes and sweep gas flow rate whereas decreases with increase in SMR, OMR and permeate side pressure.