Patent ID: 6293978
Filing Date: 2001-09-25
Classification: B01D,B01J,C01B,C04B,C23C,Y02T,Y10S

Abstract:
A process to convert organic compounds into value-added products, which process comprises:providing a membrane reactor comprising inlet and outlet manifolds which are in flow communication with one another through a plurality of hollow tube modules comprising (i) a dense ceramic membrane comprising a crystalline mixed metal oxide which exhibits, at operating temperatures, electron conductivity, oxygen ion conductivity, and ability to separate oxygen from a gaseous mixture containing oxygen and one or more other components by means of the conductivities; (ii) a tubular, porous support for the membrane comprising an alloy of at least two metallic elements which tubular support exhibits mechanical stability at the operating temperatures; and (iii) an interfacial zone of at least about 5 .mu.m which exhibits a gradient of composition across the interfacial zone in at least one metallic element;contacting the dense ceramic membrane of the hollow tube modules with a dioxygen-containing gaseous mixture;flowing a gaseous stream comprising one or more organic compounds through the plurality of the hollow tube modules;permitting oxygen to be transported through the dense ceramic membrane into the hollow tube modules by means of its electron conductivity and oxygen ion conductivity, thereby separating oxygen from the dioxygen-containing gaseous mixture; andreacting at least one of the organic compounds with the oxygen transported through the membrane to form oxidation products at temperatures in a range from about 500.degree. C. to about 1150.degree. C.