A MEMBRANE PROCESS FOR SCRUBBING PROPELLANT VAPORS

HYDRAZINE, MONOMETHYL HYDRAZINE, AND NITROGEN TETROXIDE ARE TOXIC COMPONENTS OF ROCKET FUELS, AND BETTER METHODS OF TREATING VAPORS RELEASED DURING TRANSFER OPERATIONS OR FROM ACCIDENTAL SPILLS ARE REQUIRED. THIS PROPOSAL DESCRIBES THETREATMENT OF THESE EMISSIONS THROUGH USE OF COMPOSITE COMBRANES EXTREMELY PERMEABLE TO THE PROPELLANT BUT RELATIVELY IMPERMEABLE TO AIR. MEMBRANES ARE ALREADY BEING DEVELOPED AT MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC. (MTR) FOR THE REMOVAL OF ORGANIC VAPOR EMISSIONS FROM INDUSTRIAL AIR STREAMS AND SIMILAR MEMBRANE SYSTEMS COULD BE USED FOR PROPELLANT VAPORS. THE DEVELOPMENT OF TWO SYSTEMS IS PROPOSED. THE FIRST WOULD BE A VERY SMALL 10 CU FT/MIN SYSTEM FOR TREATMENT OF VAPORS PRODUCED DURING TRANSFER OPERATIONS. THE SECOND WOULD BE A SOMEWHAT LARGER BUT STILL COMPLETELY MOBILE 1000 CU FT/MIN SYSTEM TO BE USED TO TREAT ACCIDENTAL SPILLS. IN THE PHASE I PROGRAM, THE FEASIBILITY OF THE PROCESS WITH EXISTING MEMBRANES AND NEW MEMBRANES SELECTED FOR THIS SEPARATION WOULD BE TESTED. LABORATORY PERMEABILITY TEST CELLS AND SMALL SPIRAL WOUND MEMBRANE MODULES WOULD BE USED. THE RESULTS PRODUCED WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO A TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SYSTEM.