H2/CO2 Permeation through a Silicalite-1 Composite Membrane

  • Mr Sang Kompiang Wirawan, Department of Chemical Engineering, Gadjah Mada University, 55281 Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Indonesia
  • Mr Derek Creaser, Chemical Reaction Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Göteborg, Sweden, Sweden
  • Mr Jonas Lindmark, Division of Chemical Technology, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden., Sweden
  • Mr Jonas Hedlund, Division of Chemical Technology, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden., Sweden
  • Mr I Made Bendiyasa, Department of Chemical Engineering, Gadjah Mada University, 55281 Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Indonesia
  • Mr Wahyudi Sediawan, Department of Chemical Engineering, Gadjah Mada University, 55281 Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Indonesia

    • Single and binary H2/CO2 gas permeation was studied through a silicalite-1 composite membrane consisting of a thin zeolite film (< 1 µm) supported on α-alumina. The temperature range for permeation measurments was 25 to 300oC. To determine the quality of the membrane i.e the quantity and size of defects, permporometry measurements with helium and n-hexane were performed. In general, single component fluxes decreased with increasing temperature whereas binary component fluxes showed a maximum followed by a continuous decrease. A complete mass transport model was developed to simulate the single and binary gas permeations measurements. The following transport mechanisms were included; surface diffusion and gas translational diffusion in zeolite crystals, Knudsen diffusion in defects, as well as viscous flow and Knudsen diffusion in the support material. According to the modeling results, surface diffusion was the dominant mass transport mechanism in the membrane. Also, the transport resistance of the support material was not negligible and it was found to influence the permeation selectivity. The model adequately described both the experimental single and binary permeation results.