Patent ID: 8323463

Claim:
A composite oxygen transport membrane, said composite oxygen transport membrane comprising: a membrane element having a plurality of layers; the plurality of layers comprising a dense layer, a porous support layer and an intermediate porous layer located between the dense layer and the porous support layer, each of the dense layer and the intermediate porous layer capable of conducting oxygen ions and electrons at an elevated operational temperature to separate oxygen from an oxygen containing feed; the dense layer and the intermediate porous layer comprising a mixture of an ionic conductive material and electrically conductive materials to conduct oxygen ions and electrons, respectively, the ionic conductive material being a fluorite; the intermediate porous layer having a smaller average pore size than the porous support layer to distribute the oxygen separated by the dense layer towards the porous support layer; and catalyst particles or a solution containing precursors of the catalyst particles located in the intermediate porous layer and in the porous support adjacent to the intermediate porous layer, the catalyst particles containing of a catalyst selected to promote oxidation of a combustible substance in the presence of the oxygen when the combustible substance is introduced into the pores of the porous support, on a side thereof opposite to the intermediate porous layer.