Permeable composite membrane as a catalytically active contactor for hydrogenation reactions

The efficiency of using of the permeable composite membrane (PCM) is demonstrated in the 3-phase reaction of liquid substrate with gaseous hydrogen on solid catalyst (PCM acts as a catalytically active contactor)—hydrogenation of fatty acid triglyceride. PCM provides a good combination of the opposite requirements of mild internal diffusion restrictions, low hydraulic resistance, high thermal conductivity, well-developed gas–liquid interface and high catalyst loading in the reactor volume, and thus assures the control of the course of the catalytic reaction.

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► Permeable composite membrane (PCM) acts as a catalytically active contactor.
► Owing to the high heat conductivity PCM provides isothermal regime in the catalyst bed.
► Arranged porous structure provides the control of mass-transfer and diffusion processes.
► The kinetic regime is easily realized in PCM-based reactor.
► PCM assures the control of the rate and the direction of the catalytic reaction.