Oxygen permeable ceramic membranes for hydrocarbon conversion reactors

Because of their various potential applications, non-porous, selective oxygen permeable ceramic membranes with mixed ionic and electronic conductivity (MIECs) have received significant interest over the past decade [1-8]. In particular, the incorporation of these materials into catalytic reactors for the oxidation of hydrocarbons is being investigated as a way to eliminate costly air separation steps and to achieve staged addition of oxygen [1-7]. Previous studies have typically focused on the use of ceramic MIEC membranes for the partial oxidation of methane and have shown that the presence of a catalyst near the permeate surface of a membrane can increase oxygen flux up to ten times by reducing the permeate side oxygen partial pressure [1,2]. However, currently attainable oxygen fluxes remain insufficient for widespread industrial-scale partial oxidation applications. This work describes the novel use of a mixed conducting oxygen permeable SrFeCo0.5Ox (SFC) membrane for the CO2 reforming of CH4 and demonstrates that oxygen evolved from a membrane in direct contact with a reforming catalyst can significantly enhance catalyst performance.