Effect of pore ring number of zeolites on catalytic performance of Mo/Zeolite in methane aromatization under non-oxygen condition

The catalytic behavior of Mo-based zeolite catalysts with different pore structure and size, particularly with 8 membered ring ( M R), 10 M R, coexisted 10 and 12 M R, and 12 M R, was studied in methane aromatization under the conditions of SV=1500 ml/(g.h), p=0.1 MPa and T = 973 K. It was found that the catalytic performance is correlated with the pore structure of the zeolite supports. The zeolites that possess 10 MR or 10 and 12 MR pore structure with a pore diameter equal to or slightly larger than the dynamic diameter of benzene molecule, such as ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZRP-1 and MCM-22, are fine supports. Among the tested zeolite supports, MCM-22 exhibits the highest activity and selectivity for benzene. A methane conversion of 10.5% with benzene selectivity of 80% was achieved over Mo/MCM-22 catalyst. The Mo/ERS-7 catalyst with 8 MR (0.45 nm) does not show any activity in methane dehydro-aromatization, while Mo/JQX-1 and Mo/SBA-15 catalysts with 12 MR pore exhibit little activity in the reaction. It can be concluded that the zeolites with 10 MR pore or coexisted 10 and 12 MR, having pore size equal to or slightly larger than the dynamic diameter of benzene molecule, are fine supports for methane activation and aromatization.

Partial oxidation of ethane to syngas in an oxygen-permeable membrane reactor

A perovskite-type oxide of Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta (BSCFO) with mixed electronic and oxygen ionic conductivity at high temperatures was used as an oxygen-permeable membrane. A tubular membrane of BSCFO made by extrusion method has been used in the membrane reactor to exclusively transport oxygen for the partial oxidation of ethane (POE) to syngas with catalyst of LiLaNiO/gamma-Al2O3 at temperatures of 800-900 degreesC. After only 30 min POE reaction in the membrane reactor, the oxygen permeation flux reached at 8.2 ml cm(-2) min(-1). After that, the oxygen permeation flux increased slowly and it took 12 h to reach at 11.0 ml cm(-2) min(-1). SEM and EDS analysis showed that Sr and Ba segregations occurred on the used membrane surface exposed to air while Co slightly enriched on the membrane surface exposed to ethane. The oxygen permeation flux increased with increasing of concentration of C2H6, which was attributed to increasing of the driving force resulting from the more reducing conditions produced with an increase of concentration of C2H6 in the feed gas. The tubular membrane reactor was successfully operated for POE reaction at 875 degreesC for more than 100 h without failure, with ethane conversion of similar to 100%, CO selectivity of >91% and oxygen permeation fluxes of 10-11 ml cm(-2) min(-1). (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.