Nearly four decades ago a fledgling industry emerged that specializes in developing advanced methods of separating the individual components of gases. Today, those efforts have become an important factor in driving production costs lower by using less energy, and eliminating some types of environmental pollution. Early experiments in diffusion led to practical industrial applications today, and gas separation membrane technology is rapidly expanding.
The major focus is now on removing hydrogen in ammonia production facilities and petrochemical plants, taking carbon dioxide and water vapor out of natural gas during refinement, in scrubbing nitrogen from the air, and separating organic vapors from other gases. In the past, filters have been used successfully to filter out the components of liquids, and the same general principles of that technology also apply to gases.
The technology is especially important to the petrochemical industry, and competitive in cost. Valuable gas components expensive to extract previously can now be recovered without additional or significantly greater expenditure, and when compared to more conventional methods, are low-maintenance and the equipment relatively simple to operate. Sales of these products are in the multiple millions of dollars, and growing exponentially.
The key to efficient success in this process is the membrane itself. Materials used to make them may differ, but all capitalize on the advantages of using a selectively permeable barrier. Each is designed to permit different types of materials, including gases, liquids, and vapors, to pass through at different rates. This effectively restricts the molecular flow, and prevents some from crossing the barrier at all.
Polymers are the most common materials used to make these filters. This form of plastic can be fashioned into hollow fibers that have a large surface dimension when made into a filter. They are made using existing manufacturing technology, which keeps production costs at a reasonable level. Current technology is advanced enough to make large-scale production for industry practical.
The process can be used continuously, and generally uses a high-pressure stream of the gas mixture. It is forced to pass by the membrane, and certain types of molecules are released on the other side, while others are prevented from passing. Those that cannot can be retained as well, and the efficiency of this method is determined by the properties of the permeable barrier.
The most attractive advantage associated with this process is the removal of a major step in production that is characteristic of more established technologies, which include cryogenic distillation of air, amine absorption, or basic condensation. The older processes all include a phase where gas converts to liquid, a step that necessarily uses more energy and is costlier. Membranes eliminate that effort at significant cost savings.
The petrochemical industry today is thriving, but must always continue to search for new methods of production that make the best use of dwindling supplies of raw materials. The future of this technology is bright, with new applications targeting the separation of propylene from propane, or the extraction of hydrocarbons from methane or hydrogen. Expansion during the next decade promises to be steady.
The major focus is now on removing hydrogen in ammonia production facilities and petrochemical plants, taking carbon dioxide and water vapor out of natural gas during refinement, in scrubbing nitrogen from the air, and separating organic vapors from other gases. In the past, filters have been used successfully to filter out the components of liquids, and the same general principles of that technology also apply to gases.
The technology is especially important to the petrochemical industry, and competitive in cost. Valuable gas components expensive to extract previously can now be recovered without additional or significantly greater expenditure, and when compared to more conventional methods, are low-maintenance and the equipment relatively simple to operate. Sales of these products are in the multiple millions of dollars, and growing exponentially.
The key to efficient success in this process is the membrane itself. Materials used to make them may differ, but all capitalize on the advantages of using a selectively permeable barrier. Each is designed to permit different types of materials, including gases, liquids, and vapors, to pass through at different rates. This effectively restricts the molecular flow, and prevents some from crossing the barrier at all.
Polymers are the most common materials used to make these filters. This form of plastic can be fashioned into hollow fibers that have a large surface dimension when made into a filter. They are made using existing manufacturing technology, which keeps production costs at a reasonable level. Current technology is advanced enough to make large-scale production for industry practical.
The process can be used continuously, and generally uses a high-pressure stream of the gas mixture. It is forced to pass by the membrane, and certain types of molecules are released on the other side, while others are prevented from passing. Those that cannot can be retained as well, and the efficiency of this method is determined by the properties of the permeable barrier.
The most attractive advantage associated with this process is the removal of a major step in production that is characteristic of more established technologies, which include cryogenic distillation of air, amine absorption, or basic condensation. The older processes all include a phase where gas converts to liquid, a step that necessarily uses more energy and is costlier. Membranes eliminate that effort at significant cost savings.
The petrochemical industry today is thriving, but must always continue to search for new methods of production that make the best use of dwindling supplies of raw materials. The future of this technology is bright, with new applications targeting the separation of propylene from propane, or the extraction of hydrocarbons from methane or hydrogen. Expansion during the next decade promises to be steady.
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