TUBULAR CATALYTIC MEMBRANE REACTORS FOR THE SPONTANEOUS CONVERSION OF HUMIDIFIED NATURAL GAS TO SYNTHESIS GAS

THIS PHASE I INVESTIGATION IS DIRECTED TOWARDS PROMOTING THE SPONTANEOUS CONVERSION OF HUMIDIFIED NATURAL GAS TO SYNTHESIS GAS COMPATIBLE WITH SUBSEQUENT PREPARATION OF METHANOL WITHOUT ANY INTERMEDIATE COMPOSITIONAL ADJUSTMENT BEING NECESSARY. THIS WILL BE PERFORMED ACROSS NOVEL TUBULAR MIXED IONIC (O(2-)) AND ELECTRONIC CONDUCTING PEROVSKITE MEMBRANES OVER THE TEMPERATURE RANGE OF 600 TO 800 DEGREES CENTIGRADE. MEMBRANES WILL BEHAVE AS SHORT CIRCUITED ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS. COMPARED TO CURRENT METHANE STEAM REFORMING TECHNOLOGY, WHICH IS ENDOTHERMIC AND REQUIRES SUBSEQUENT COMPOSITION ADJUSTMENT PRIOR TO THE METHANOL SYNTHESIS STEP, THE NEW TECHNOLOGY WOULD BE BOTH SIMPLE AND INHERENTLY OF LOW COST. INITIAL METHANE ACTIVATION WILL RELY UPON O(2-) SPECIES BEING CONTINUOUSLY GENERATED AT AN APPROPRIATELY SELECTED CATALYST SITE ON THE OXIDIZING SIDE OF THE MEMBRANE.