Reactor and liquid fuel synthesis method

A reactor device comprising:

• a first reactor;
• and
• a second reactor disposed downstream of the first reactor,
• the first reactor including:
• a first separation membrane permeable to a product of conversion reaction of a raw material gas containing at least hydrogen and carbon dioxide to a liquid fuel;
• a first flow path provided on a non-permeation side of the first separation membrane, and configured to allow the raw material gas to flow through the first flow path;
• a second flow path provided on a permeation side of the first separation membrane, and configured to allow a first sweep gas for sweeping the product permeating through the first separation membrane to flow through the second flow path;
• and
• a first catalyst disposed in the first flow path and configured to promote the conversion reaction, and
• the second reactor including:
• a second separation membrane permeable to a product of conversion reaction of a residual raw material gas to the liquid fuel, the residual raw material gas flowing out from the first reactor;
• a third flow path provided on a non-permeation side of the second separation membrane, and configured to allow the residual raw material gas to flow through the third flow path;
• a fourth flow path provided on a permeation side of the second separation membrane, and configured to allow a second sweep gas for sweeping the product permeating through the second separation membrane to flow through the fourth flow path;
• and
• a second catalyst disposed in the third flow path and configured to promote the conversion reaction, and
• in a side view of the first separation membrane, a direction in which the first sweep gas flows through the second flow path is opposite to a direction in which the raw material gas flows through the first flow path, and
• in a side view of the second separation membrane, a direction in which the second sweep gas flows through the fourth flow path is the same as a direction in which the residual raw material gas flows through the third flow path.

A reactor device comprising:

• a first reactor;
• a second reactor disposed upstream of the first reactor,
• the first reactor including:
• a first separation membrane permeable to a product of conversion reaction of a residual raw material gas to a liquid fuel, the residual raw material gas flowing out from the second reactor;
• a first flow path provided on a non-permeation side of the first separation membrane, and configured to allow the residual raw material gas to flow through the first flow path;
• and
• a second flow path provided on a permeation side of the first separation membrane, and configured to allow a first sweep gas for sweeping the product permeating through the first separation membrane to flow through the second flow path, and
• the second reactor includes:
• a second separation membrane permeable to a product of conversion reaction of a raw material gas containing at least hydrogen and carbon dioxide to a liquid fuel;
• a third flow path provided on a non-permeation side of the second separation membrane, and configured to allow the raw material gas to flow through the third flow path;
• and
• a fourth flow path provided on a permeation side of the second separation membrane, and configured to allow the second sweep gas for sweeping the product permeating through the second separation membrane to flow through the fourth flow path, and
• in a side view of the first separation membrane, a direction in which the first sweep gas flows through the second flow path is opposite to a direction in which the residual raw material gas flows through the first flow path, and
• in a side view of the second separation membrane, a direction in which the second sweep gas flows through the fourth flow path is the same as a direction in which the raw material gas flows through the third flow path.

A liquid fuel synthesis method using:

• a first reactor including a first separation membrane permeable to a product of conversion reaction of a raw material gas containing at least hydrogen and carbon dioxide to a liquid fuel;
• and
• a second reactor including a second separation membrane permeable to a product of conversion reaction of a residual raw material gas to a liquid fuel, the residual raw material gas flowing out from the first reactor,
• the method including:
• a step of causing a first sweep gas to flow through a second flow path provided on a permeation side of the first separation membrane, while causing the raw material gas to flow through a first flow path provided on a non-permeation side of the first separation membrane, and
• a step of causing a second sweep gas to flow through a fourth flow path provided on a permeation side of the second separation membrane, while causing the residual raw material gas to flow through a third flow path provided on a non-permeation side of the second separation membrane, wherein
• catalysts configured to promote the conversion reaction are disposed in the first flow path and the third flow path,
• in a side view of the first separation membrane, a direction in which the first sweep gas flows through the second flow path is opposite to a direction in which the raw material gas flows through the first flow path, and
• in a side view of the second separation membrane, a direction in which the second sweep gas flows through the fourth flow path is the same as a direction in which the residual raw material gas flows through the third flow path.

A liquid fuel synthesis method using:

• a second reactor including a second separation membrane permeable to a product of conversion reaction of a raw material gas containing at least hydrogen and carbon dioxide to a liquid fuel;
• and
• a first reactor including a first separation membrane permeable to a product of conversion reaction of a residual raw material gas to a liquid fuel, the residual raw material gas flowing out from the second reactor,
• the method including:
• a step of causing a second sweep gas to flow through a fourth flow path provided on a permeation side of the second separation membrane, while causing the raw material gas to flow through a third flow path provided on a non-permeation side of the second separation membrane, and
• a step of causing a first sweep gas to flow through a second flow path provided on a permeation side of the first separation membrane, while causing the residual raw material gas to flow through a first flow path provided on the non-permeation side of the first separation membrane, wherein
• catalysts configured to promote the conversion reaction are disposed in the first flow path and the third flow path,
• in a side view of the first separation membrane, a direction in which the first sweep gas flows through the second flow path is opposite to a direction in which the raw material gas flows through the first flow path, and
• in a side view of the second separation membrane, a direction in which the second sweep gas flows through the fourth flow path is the same as a direction in which the residual raw material gas flows through the third flow path.