Pure hydrogen generation in a fluidized bed membrane reactor: Application of the generalized comprehensive reactor model

A generalized comprehensive model was developed to simulate a wide variety of fluidized-bed catalytic reactors. The model characterizes multiple phases and regions (low-density phase, high-density phase, staged membranes, freeboard region) and allows for a seamless introduction of features and/or simplifications depending on the system of interest. The model is implemented here for a fluidized-bed membrane reactor generating hydrogen. A concomitant experimental program was performed to collect detailed experimental data in a pilot scale prototype reactor operated under steam methane reforming (SMR) and auto-thermal reforming (ATR) conditions, without and with membranes of different areas under diverse operating conditions. The results of this program were published in Mahecha-Botero et al. [2008a. Pure hydrogen generation in a fluidized bed membrane reactor: experimental findings. Chem. Eng. Sci. 63(10), pp. 2752–2762]. The reactor model is tested in this second paper of the series by comparing its simulation predictions against axially distributed concentration in the pilot reactor. This leads to a better understanding of phenomena along the reactor including: mass transfer, distributed selective removal of species, interphase cross-flow, flow regime variations, changes in volumetric flow, feed distribution, and fluidization hydrodynamics. The model does not use any adjustable parameters giving reasonably good predictions for the system of study.