Membrane reactors future trends

FUTURE TRENDS OF INORGANIC MEMBRANES AND MEMBRANE REACTORS... 

Abstract The configurations and performance of photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs) assembled with membranes (also photocatalytic type) and/or suspended photocatalyst are described. Examples of the application of PMRs in water/wastewater treatment as well as in photocatalytic synthesis are shown. An outUne of the modeling of PMRs is presented with a brief economic analysis future trends in PMRs are also discussed. 

In this chapter, the chemical principles of electrochemical desulfurization of gases and transportation fuels using a membrane reactor were introduced. Theory, applications, and design in the development of membrane reactors to remove sulfur-containing compounds or sulfur dioxide were described. Lastly, future trends in the developments of membrane reactors for ECDS were covered. We sincerely expect an increasing number of researchers and achievements will contribute to the development of ECDS processes in the near future. 

Part III Beyond the Fundamentals presents material not commonly covered in textbooks, addressing aspects of reactors involving more than one phase. It discusses solid catalyzed fluid-phase reactions in fixed-bed and fluidized-bed reactors, gas-solid noncatalytic reactions, reactions involving at least one liquid phase (gas-liquid and liquid-liquid), and multiphase reactions. This section also describes membrane-assisted reactor engineering, combo reactors, homogeneous catalysis, and phase-transfer catalysis. The final chapter provides a perspective on future trends in reaction engineering. 

Future Trends in Reactor Technology The technical reactors introduced here so far are those used today in common industrial processes. Of course, research and development activities in past decades have led to new reactor concepts that may have advantages with respect to process intensification, higher selectivities, and safety and environmental aspects. Such novel developments in catalytic reactor technology are, for example, monolithic reactors for multiphase reactions, microreactors to improve mass and heat transfer, membrane reactors to overcome thermodynamic and kinetic constraints, or multifunctional reactors combining a chemical reaction with heat transfer or with the separation in one instead of two units. It is beyond the scope of this textbook to cover all the details of these new fascinating reactor concepts, but for those who are interested in a brief outline we summarize important aspects in Section 4.10.8. 

The variety of porous membranes, in terms of both materials and microstructures, makes them popular in different chemical reaction processes. They are applied mostly in a tubular configuration. However, the hollow fiber represents a trend for future development due to its remarkably high area/volume ratio. Table 2.5 summarizes the conventional inorganic porous membranes used in membrane reactors. 

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