Around 35 years ago a new industry was born that has developed advanced ways to separate the components of gases. The process is becoming increasingly important as a way to save production costs while producing less environmental pollution, and is still in its infancy. What began as experiments in diffusion has led to the emergence of processes being widely used today, and gas separation membrane technology is developing rapidly.
The process is already being used to remove nitrogen from the air, to separate carbon dioxide and water vapor during the refinement of natural gas, and to separate hydrogen in ammonia production facilities and petrochemical plants. In the past, various types of filters have been used to separate the individual components of water and other liquids, and similar principles also apply today to filtering industrial 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.
The most common materials used in membrane separation of gases are polymers, which can be transformed into into fibers that are hollow and have a relatively large surface area. They are made from currently existing materials using available technology, and the cost of manufacturing is comparatively low. The technology is now suitable for large scale industrial production of various types.
A stream of a gas mixture under high pressure can be passed through the filtering system continuously. As it is forced through a filtering system various specific molecules are released on the far side, while others are retained and can also be used, reducing waste. The process of separation varies, but in general is determined by the properties of the membrane barrier itself.
The advantage of using this method is the removal of a major production step that must be taken when using older technologies, such as condensation, cryogenic distillation of air, or amine absorption. All those methods require a gas-to-liquid phase change, and that extra requirement generates significant costs. The use of membranes eliminates that portion of the process, and reduces production expenses over time.
The petrochemical industry must continuously strive for better ways to make products by efficient processing of raw materials. The future of this field is limited only by the availability of resources, and continuous expansion is predicted. These methods are being currently applied to projected growth areas such as the removal of propylene from propane, or separating hydrogen from methane.
The process is already being used to remove nitrogen from the air, to separate carbon dioxide and water vapor during the refinement of natural gas, and to separate hydrogen in ammonia production facilities and petrochemical plants. In the past, various types of filters have been used to separate the individual components of water and other liquids, and similar principles also apply today to filtering industrial 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.
The most common materials used in membrane separation of gases are polymers, which can be transformed into into fibers that are hollow and have a relatively large surface area. They are made from currently existing materials using available technology, and the cost of manufacturing is comparatively low. The technology is now suitable for large scale industrial production of various types.
A stream of a gas mixture under high pressure can be passed through the filtering system continuously. As it is forced through a filtering system various specific molecules are released on the far side, while others are retained and can also be used, reducing waste. The process of separation varies, but in general is determined by the properties of the membrane barrier itself.
The advantage of using this method is the removal of a major production step that must be taken when using older technologies, such as condensation, cryogenic distillation of air, or amine absorption. All those methods require a gas-to-liquid phase change, and that extra requirement generates significant costs. The use of membranes eliminates that portion of the process, and reduces production expenses over time.
The petrochemical industry must continuously strive for better ways to make products by efficient processing of raw materials. The future of this field is limited only by the availability of resources, and continuous expansion is predicted. These methods are being currently applied to projected growth areas such as the removal of propylene from propane, or separating hydrogen from methane.
About the Author:
You can visit www.gassystemscorp.com for more helpful information about Gas Separation Membrane Technology Saves Energy And Conserves Resources.
No comments:
Post a Comment