Performance of an oxygen-permeable membrane reactor for partial oxidation of methane in coke oven gas to syngas

Perovskite-type oxygen-permeable membrane reactors of BaCo0.7Fe0.2Nb0.1O3−δ packed with Ni-based catalyst had high oxygen permeability and could be used for syngas production by partial oxidation of methane in coke oven gas (COG). The BCFNO membrane itself had a poor catalytic activity to partial oxidation of CH4 in COG. After the catalyst was packed on the membrane surface, 92% of methane conversion, 90% of H2 selectivity, 104% of CO selectivity and as high as 15 ml/cm2/min of oxygen permeation flux were obtained at 1148 K. During continuously operating for 550 h at 1148 K, no degradation of performance of the BCFNO membrane reactor was observed under the condition of hydrogen-rich COG. The possible reaction pathways were proposed to be an oxidation-reforming process. The oxidation of H2 in COG with the surface oxygen on the permeation side improves the oxygen flux through the membrane, and H2O reacts with CH4 by reforming reactions to form H2 and CO.