Catalytic membrane nanoreactors

Today, the use of membrane reactors for hydrogen production is becoming more and more a reality with various pilot installations all over the world and increasing literature studies focused on the development of mechanically and chemically stable membranes with high perm-selectivity further improved in terms of stability and hydrogen flux. The possibility to combine reaction and separation in the same unit, reducing the whole volume of the plant and increasing its efficiency is the main asset promoting the development of this technology. The scope of this chapter is to highlight the main findings about membranes and membrane reactors used in hydrogen production from reforming processes. A deep discussion is presented about the general classification of the membranes, with special attention being paid towards palladium-based membranes, as well as on the different types of membrane reactors available (from packed bed to fluidized bed to micro-reactors). In addition, the application of membrane reactors for hydrogen production is also discussed with a short overview on some representative results on the upgrading of syngas via water gas shift reaction.