Polymer–Ceramic Composite Membranes for Water Removal in Membrane Reactors
Ester Juarez,
Javier Lasobras,
Jaime Soler,
Javier Herguido,
Miguel Menéndez
Affiliations
Ester Juarez
Catalysis, Molecular Separations and Reactor Engineering Group (CREG), Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Javier Lasobras
Catalysis, Molecular Separations and Reactor Engineering Group (CREG), Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Jaime Soler
Catalysis, Molecular Separations and Reactor Engineering Group (CREG), Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Javier Herguido
Catalysis, Molecular Separations and Reactor Engineering Group (CREG), Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Miguel Menéndez
Catalysis, Molecular Separations and Reactor Engineering Group (CREG), Aragon Institute for Engineering Research (I3A), University of Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Methanol can be obtained through CO2 hydrogenation in a membrane reactor with higher yield or lower pressure than in a conventional packed bed reactor. In this study, we explore a new kind of membrane with the potential suitability for such membrane reactors. Silicone–ceramic composite membranes are synthetized and characterized for their capability to selectively remove water from a mixture containing hydrogen, CO2, and water at temperatures typical for methanol synthesis. We show that this membrane can achieve selective permeation of water under such harsh conditions, and thus is an alternative candidate for use in membrane reactors for processes where water is one of the products and the yield is limited by thermodynamic equilibrium.
