Multi-objective Optimization of Mixed Membrane Reactors for Autothermal Reforming of Methane

Hsuan  Chang; Yih-Hung Chen; Yun-Tsz Chen; Chii-Dong Ho

doi:10.6180/jase.201809_21(3).0020

Multi-objective Optimization of Mixed Membrane Reactors for Autothermal Reforming of Methane

Chemical Engineering Material Engineering

Hsuan Chang This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.¹, Yih-Hung Chen¹, Yun-Tsz Chen¹ and Chii-Dong Ho¹

¹Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Tamkang University, Tamsui, Taiwan 251, R.O.C.

Received: December 18, 2017
Accepted: March 9, 2018
Publication Date: September 1, 2018

Download Citation: ||https://doi.org/10.6180/jase.201809_21(3).0020

ABSTRACT

Autothermal reforming (ATR) of methane, which supplies the heat for endothermic steam reforming by internal combustion of methane, is an important process for synthetic gas production. The axial-distributed feeding of oxygen via a packed bed inert membrane reactor (MR) can reduce the peak temperature and improve the reactor performance. A modified MR, called mixed membrane reactor(MMR), combines permeable membrane tube wall and non-permeable tube wall provides extra degrees of freedom for reactor design and operation. For MR and MMR, this study presents the ternary-objective optimization analysis for maximizing hydrogen production rate, non-combustion selectivity and conversion of methane, using a 1D pseudo-homogeneous reactor model and the NSGA-II algorithm. Compared to MR, MMR can be operated under significantly higher oxygen permeationfluxwithoutviolatingthemaximumtemperatureconstraint.Thenon-combustion selectivity and conversion of methane of MR and MMR are close, however, the hydrogen production rate of MMR can be as high as 200% of MR.

Keywords: Methane Reforming, Membrane Reactor, Mixed Membrane Reactor, Multi-objective Optimization

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