Abstract
The performance of the microwave-irradiated membrane reactor for methanol synthesis from CO2/H2 mixture gas was theoretically predicted using reaction-diffusing equations. Our previous study reported that microwave (MW) irradiation for membrane module can enhance flux and selectivity in pervaporation using silicalite membrane. The flux of MWadsorbed species increased by the MW irradiation for membrane module, while the flux of MW-inactive species does not change by the MW irradiation. We modeld MW irradiation for a membrane reactor of methanol synthesis from CO2/H2 mixture gas. The products (methanol and water) are MW-actives and the reactants (CO, CO2 and H2) are MW-inactive in this process. We calculated the methanol conversion at various temperatures and pressures with assumption that the MW irradiation increases the methanol and water permeance through the silicalite membrane. Calculated methanol conversion increased significantly by the MW irradiation and which is much higher than that for conventional membrane reactor.
