Reaction rate profiles in long palladium membrane reactors for methane steam reforming

This study concerns palladium membrane reactors for methane steam reforming by means of mathematical modeling. In terms of similarity in reaction rate profiles, a whole reactor can be divided into three zones: I common to conventional and membrane reactors; II common to the co-current and counter-current membrane reactors; III characteristic of the counter-current membrane reactors. Although reaction rate decreased from the inlet in zones I and II, it increased in zone III. Furthermore, a part with apparently slow reaction and permeation was found in the profile for counter-current long reactor. The part is the end of zone II, which is normally seen in a co-current MR. It locates at the end of reactor in a co-current, however, in the middle of the reactor in a counter-current.