Development of a membrane reactor for the partial oxidation of hydrocarbons: direct oxidation of propane to acrolein

The one-step synthesis of acrolein from propane with the catalyst (Ag0.01Bi0.85V0.54Mo0.45O4) was studied in a tubular membrane reactor (MR) in the temperature region 450–550 °C. Oxygenate-selective membranes were prepared by in situ silica modification of a porous ceramic by the controlled hydrolysis of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS). The catalysts were arranged as granulated layer inside the ceramic membrane tube. Oxygen was dosed through the porous reactor wall to the tube side of the MR containing the catalyst and the feed propane. The oxygenate-selective membrane separates the reaction products acrolein and water from the other products and feed gas mixture with a separation factor of 2–3. Compared with the co-feed packed bed reactor, the yields and the selectivities of acrolein could be increased by a factor of 2–3 in the MR at equal propane conversions.