Design FBMRs

The research efforts discussed in this chapter allow one to design FBMRs taking into account all hydrodynamic imphcations of the membranes, so that processes that incorporate an FBMR can optimally benefit from the integrated separation step. 

Recently, the fluidized bed membrane reactor (FBMR) has also been examined from the scale-up and practical points of view. Key factors affecting the performance of a commercial FBMR were analysed and compared to corresponding factors in the PBMR. Challenges to the commercial viability of the FBMR were identified. A very important design parameter was determined to be the distribution of membrane area between the dense bed and the dilute phase. Key areas for commercial viability were mechanical stability of reactor internals, the durability of the membrane material, and the effect of gas withdrawal on fluidization. Thermal uniformity was identified as an advantageous property of the FBMR. 

The dense catalyst bed is considered to be composed of two phases a bubble phase and a dense phase - Reaction occurs in the dense phase important design parameters in FBMR systems. 

It can be foreseen that microstructured FBMRs will have different design paradigms compared to conventional fluidized bed (membrane) reactors. It is for this reason that we also highfight several design aspects of these microreactors in this chapter. 

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