Energy analysis of innovative systems with metallic membranes

Metallic membranes have been studied by several research groups during the last 40 years. Most of the research has been focused on developing stable membranes able to achieve high flux and high permselectivity. The vast majority of proposed applications lie on hydrogen separation through Pd-based membrane. H₂ separation is a very important process in the energy and chemical industry since several applications require H₂ at different purity. Therefore, the integration of metallic membrane and membrane reactors has been widely studied and compared with the current technology form a technoeconomic point of view. Several application areas among industries can take benefit from the application of membrane, where energy and environmental sustainability, such as the reduction of CO₂ emissions, still represent a major concern. This chapter aims to summarize some of the most relevant research works which have been published recently (<10 years) on energy analysis and economic performance of a Pd-based membrane reactor for pure H₂ separation. The analysis includes the use of different feedstocks, such as natural gas, coal, bio-based gas, and alcohol, as well as other chemicals.