Abstract

A membrane reactor consisting of a reactor and a separation membrane may be suitable to provide hydrogen from hydrocarbon in order to reduce carbon dioxide. In this study, a catalytic membrane reactor, a type of membrane reactor, was designed and tested to prove if both the reactions (dehydrogenation of ethane, and reduction of carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide) occur on each side of the membrane in the reactor as expected. As membrane materials, copper-plated LaNi₅ and CaNi₅ were chosen. In the first step, lower hydrocarbons including ethane was dehydrogenated at one side of the membrane; another side was swept by an inert gas. In the second step, simultaneous feed of ethane (one side) and carbon dioxide (another side) was tried if both the reactions (dehydrogenation of ethane and reduction of carbon dioxide) occur. Carbon dioxide was reduced to carbon monoxide; ethane was dehydrogenated to give ethene.

Recommended Citation

Uemura, Yoshimitsu; Morita, Kazuyuki; Ohzuno, Yoshihiro; and Hatate, Yasuo (2006) "Dehydrogenation of Ethane and Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide in a Catalytic Membrane Reactor Using Copper-Plated LaNi₅ as a Membrane Material," International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering: Vol. 4: P1.
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/ijcre/vol4/P1