CATALYTIC MEMBRANE REACTOR FOR DEYDROGENATION OF WATER VIA GAS-SHIFT

Pd-ceramic composite membranes and catalytic membrane reactors(CMR) have been studied for hydrogen purification and recovery in th fusion reactor fuel cycle. The development of techniques for coating microporous ceramic tubes with Pd and Pd/Ag layers is described: composite membranes have been produced by electroless deposition (Pd/Ag film of 10-20${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$) and rolling of thin metal sheet (Pd and Pd/ Ag membranes of 50-70 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$). Experimental results on electroless membranes showed that the metallic film presented some defects and the membranes had not complete hydrogen selectivity . Then the catalytic membrane reactors with electroless membranes can be applied for some industrial processes that do not require a complete separation of the hydrogen (i.e. in the dehydrogenation of hydrocarbons). The rolled thin Pd/Ag membranes separated the hydrogen from the other gas with a complete selectivity and exhibited a slightly larger (about a factor 1.7) mass transfer resistance with respect to the electroless membranes. Experimental tests confirmed the good performances in terms of durability.