Application of the generic fluidized-bed reactor model to the fluidized-bed membrane reactor process for steam methane reforming with oxygen input

A generic fluidized-bed reactor model (Abba et al. Chem. Eng. Sci. 2002, 57, 4797-4807; AIChE J. 2003, in press) is adapted to evaluate the performance of a fluidized-bed membrane reactor for steam reforming with oxygen input in a large-scale unit (16 in high and 2 in wide) described by Adris and Grace (Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 1997,36, 4549-4556). This allows flow regimes beyond bubbling to be modeled and facilitates the treatment of the impacts of changes in volumetric flow due to variations in molar flow, temperature, and hydrostatic pressure. Improvement in the reactor performance is shown when one considers these changes. Permselective membrane tubes are shown to substantially improve the performance of the reactor. The simulation results show that an ultrathin membrane coating could result in reversal in hydrogen diffusion with height, especially at elevated temperatures. The influences on the reactor performance of several other parameters such as the superficial gas velocity and steam-to-carbon ratio are also examined. Given the right combinations of key operating parameters such as the methane-to-oxygen ratio, feed temperature, and reactor temperature, the reactor can be operated autothermally.