Thermoneutral Propane Dehydrogenation via a Solid Oxide Membrane Reactor

This project is utilizing solid oxide membrane reactors for chemical transformations that are critical to the seamless integration of shale natural gas and liquids into the chemical industry supply chain. The project is particularly interested in the production of propylene from propane. Current propylene production occurs primarily via naphtha steam cracking, a highly energy-intensive process that is not amenable to distributed operations, which are highly desirable when shale natural gas and liquid is used as the carbon source. This technology can apply to centralized or distributed operation and can operate at dramatically lower temperatures than steam crackers. The technology will apply perovskite solid oxide membranes which can simultaneously conduct oxygen and hydrogen ions. On one side of the membrane reactor, air is used as an oxygen source to the perovskite. Oxygen anions are conducted across the membrane where they can react with propane at the interface of the perovskite and small Pt alloy catalysts in an exothermic partial oxidation process. In addition, the process of propane dehydrogenation takes place at the same side of the membrane yielding hydrogen ions, which are conducted by the same membrane to the other side. By adjusting the external conditions as well as the membrane and catalyst design, the flux of oxygen and hydrogen ions in the opposite directions of the membrane can be controlled. This control will allow to develop a highly selective thermo-neutral process operating at lower temperatures and drive equilibrium conversion forward while avoiding the deleterious further reaction to unselective combustion products.