Patent ID: 6153163
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: B01J,C01B

Abstract:
A process for generating an enhanced output of desired product from an ion transport reactor, comprising:a) providing the ion transport reactor, the ion transport reactor having a product oxygen-selective ion transport membrane, a reaction space, and a further oxygen-selective ion transport membrane, each of the product and further oxygen-selective ion transport membranes having a cathode side and an anode side, the anode side of each of the product and further oxygen-selective ion transport membranes being located within the reaction space;b) delivering an oxygen-donating first feed stream containing the desired product in a chemically bound state at a first oxygen partial pressure to said cathode side of said product oxygen-selective ion transport membrane while simultaneously delivering an oxygen-accepting second feed stream to said reaction space and an oxygen containing feed stream containing oxygen in a chemically unbound state to said cathode side of said further oxygen-selective ion transport membrane;c) operating said ion transport reactor with said product and further oxygen-selective ion transport membranes at an elevated temperature sufficient to facilitate oxygen ion transport through said product and further oxygen-selective ion transport membranes;d) transporting elemental oxygen obtained from said first feed stream through said product oxygen-selective ion transport membrane to react with a portion of said second feed stream so that said desired product is produced at the cathode side of said product oxygen-selective ion transport membrane and another product is produced within said reaction space by way of chemical reactors that are on-balance endothermic;e) reacting the oxygen transported through the further oxygen-selective ion transport membrane with a further portion of said second feed stream in an exothermic oxidative reaction to thermally balance said chemical reactions so that a sum thereof is energy neutral; andf) recovering a first product stream containing a first portion of said desired product from said cathode side, and recovering a second product stream from said reaction space.