Field Trials of Cellulose Acetate Membranes

A large-scale natural gas producer made available a test skid that would allow for membrane prodncts to be demonstrated under real field conditions. Commercial CA membranes from both Grace and another supplier and the developmental membrane were delivered to the field as full-scale 20 cm (8 inch) diameter spiral wound modules. 

The feed gas contained about 6% CO2 with about 50 ppm H2S. The bulk of the gas was about 81% methane, with the major other components being about 12% nitrogen and 1% ethane. Target specifications for the sales gas (retentate) were to reduce CO2 to less than 2% and H2S content to less than 15 ppm. Feedstock conditions were relatively mild at 55 bar (800 psi) and 27 °C. The three trials were rnn sequentially over a period of months. One set of analysis was reported for each day of the trials. 

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