Fluidized Bed Membrane Reactors

A fluidized bed membrane reactor, also indicated as membrane-assisted fluidized bed (MAFBR), is an integrated reactor where membranes (in form of tubes, hollow fibers, or planar modules) are immersed in a fluidized bed of catalyst particles. Typical example of MAFBR for hydrogen production is reported in (Gallucci et al. 2010a) and consists in a bundle of hydrogen-selective membranes immersed in a catalytic bed operated in bubbling regime. The use of fluidized bed membrane reactors makes possible the reduction of bed-to-wall mass transfer limitations, but also allows operating the reactor at a virtually isothermal condition (due to the movement of catalyst). This possibility can be used for operating the autothermal reforming of hydrocarbons inside the membrane reactor. In fact, as indicated by Tiemersma et al. (2006), the autothermal reforming of methane in a packed bed membrane reactor is quite difficult due to the hot spot at the reactor inlet which can melt down the membrane. This...