Gas Permeation

Process Fundamentals
In the gas permeation process, typically a pressurized gas phase mixture containing at least two components, for example, A & B, is fed to the membrane that has a higher permeation flux for at least one of the components in the feed mixture. For example, the membrane in the illustration below has a higher flux for B.

The driving force for permeation of the components is the difference in partial pressure between the feed side and the permeate side of the membrane. Therefore, the permeate side of the membrane is maintained at a substantially lower pressure than the feed side. The majority of component B and a small fraction of component A permeate the membrane in the gas phase. In the gas permeation process, the operating pressures may be very high. Therefore, there may be substantial differences in the feed, retentate, and permeate temperatures due to the Joule-Thompson effect. Feed: A-B Mixture (Gas Phase) Retentate: A-Rich (Gas Phase) Permeate: B-Rich (Gas Phase) In order to maximize the driving force for separation:

1. The feed to the membrane should be pressurized to the highest pressure. The maximum service pressure for the membrane module should not be exceeded under any circumstance. 2. The permeate side of the membrane should be maintained at the lowest pressure possible.

Applications

The permeation of H2 from gas mixtures The separation of paraffin-olefin mixtures The separation of CO2 from gas mixtures

Tucker Gas Processing Equipment, Inc. is offering a particularly robust membrane built of a polyethylene material for various membrane applicable purposes. Membrane applications are available for bulk removal of carbon dioxide, removal and separation of nitrogen from natural gas, and separation of natural gas liquids from methane. In addition we are utilizing membranes for synthetic gas separations involving nitrogen and other related gases. The diagram below shows a combined membrane application that first uses a membrane for bulk natural liquids removal and then treats the same stream by membrane for separation of methane and nitrogen. Following the membrane nitrogen-methane separation, we have included and are utilizing a small pressure swing adsorption plant to remove the remaining balance of the methane from the nitrogen waste gas stream after membrane treatment. We additionally show in this diagram a liquids separation plant for further separation of the natural gas liquids stream as separated by membrane. The particular advantage of utilizing a membrane natural gas liquids separation is that in the main stream the separation by membrane of natural gas liquids will reduce the natural gas liquids stream requiring further treatment to approximately 10% of the initial feed gas stream. Following the membrane bulk separation by a natural gas liquids plant allows treatment of the concentrated natural gas liquids stream with reduced footprint, substantially reduced compression requirements for the natural gas liquids plant and the overall size of the natural gas liquids plant and pre-treatment for that plant are reduced in the order of 10% of the initial gas stream. Through this combination of technical process knowledge utilizing as required the various processes including membrane, pressure swing adsorption, and natural gas liquids separation, we can offer a turnkey sophisticated plant capable of recovering the maximum amount of hydrocarbons yet at the same time meeting all applicable pipeline standards and natural gas liquids requirements. By providing us with a gas analysis and an understanding of your process application, we can provide you with a process flow diagram as needed for your project as well as budgetary numbers and costs or a formal proposal based on your needs.

TGPE Inc. 116 S. Capitol Ave. Mt. Sterling, IL 6235 tucker@adams.net (217) 773-3622 Fax: (217) 773-2623