Thin-membrane micro reactors

Figure 8.16 shows a methanol/water vaporiser, followed by a catalytic steam reformer operating at about 250°C, in which the catalyst is a thin film of Cu/ZnO coated onto the silica reactor, and finally a membrane shift reactor consisting of a palladium diffusion layer mounted on top of a perforated copper-based shift catalyst. Built onto the chip are integrated resistive heaters for getting the reformer and vaporiser up to temperature, together with micro-scale sensors and control electronics. Whilst such systems are a long... 

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