NOVEL MEMBRANES FOR NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS RECOVERY

THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP A MEMBRANE PROCESS FOR THE SEPARATION AND RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBONS SUCH AS ETHANE, PROPANE, BUTANE, AND PENTANE FROM NATURAL GAS STREAMS. THESE HIGHER HYDROCARBONS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT VALUE AS CHEMICAL FEED STOCK; OFTEN, THEY MUST BE REMOVED TOCONTROL THE BTU RATING OF NATURAL GAS. MULTILAYER COMPOSITEMEMBRANES WILL BE PREPARED USING RUBBERY POLYMERS AS THE PERMSELECTIVE MATERIAL. TWO MATERIALS WITH VERY HIGH SELECTIVITIES FOR THE HIGHER HYDROCARBONS OVER METHANE HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED. THE MEMBRANE PREPARATION METHOD INVOLVES THE USE OF A NOVEL COATING TECHNIQUE. THE MEMBRANES WILL BE TESTED WITH METHANE AND THE HIGHER HYDROCARBONS. AT THE END OF PHASE I, THE MOST PROMISING MEMBRANE WILL BE INCORPORATED IN A SPIRAL- WOUND MODULE AND TESTED WITH A SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS MIXTURE.