(561a) Vacuum-Assisted Membrane Reactor for Non-Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Light Alkanes

Non-oxidative alkane dehydrogenation is thermodynamically constrained by equilibrium due to its endothermic nature. Selective hydrogen removal using a gas-permeable membrane within the reaction zone can uplift the thermodynamic equilibrium, enabling higher alkane conversions. Employing vacuum as the permeation driving force enhances the industrial viability of membrane reactors by eliminating the need for additional post-reaction separation units. In this talk, we present a membrane reactor that integrates H₂-permeable nanoporous carbon membranes with cobalt in dealuminated beta zeolite catalyst, utilizing vacuum to efficiently remove hydrogen. The membrane reactor achieved significant enhancements in alkane conversion under reaction conditions comparable to those reported in the literature. A microkinetic model of the catalyst was developed and incorporated into one-dimensional steady-state reactor model for the alkane dehydrogenation reaction. The membrane reactor demonstrated durability over 200 hours of continuous operation, maintaining record-low deactivation rates and high alkene (e.g., ethylene or propylene) selectivity. Protocols for catalyst regeneration were developed.