Industrial applications gaseous systems

One of the most successful industrial applications of polymeric catalytic membranes is the Remedia Catalytic Filter System to destroy toxic gaseous dioxins and furans from stationary industrial combustion sources by converting them into water, CO2, and HCl. The system consists of an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) microporous membrane, needle-punched into a scrim with a catalytically active PTFE felt. The catalyst is a V2O5 on a Ti02 support. The microporous membrane captures the dust but allows gases to pass to the catalyst where they are converted at temperatures as high as 260° C. 

Gaseous pollutants form part of all natural waters. They include not only inert or noble gases, nitrogen above all, which do not create problems in industrial applications, but also considerable quantities of dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide which have to be removed in order to forestall soious damage to equipment and piping systems. 

Silicones find practical application in different membrane unit operations for treating gaseous and liquid mixtures. This is due to their solubility controlled transport, which allows the selective separation of organics from air or from water. Polymer blending, polymer grafting, addition of different solid fillers or ionic Hquids, are the most effective strategies for improving the stabihty as well as the selective transport of silicones. The industrial applications of silicone-based membrane systems present environmental benefits such as reduced waste and recovered/recycled valuable raw materials that are currently lost to fuel or to the flares. 

The ER system has been used successfully in a range of industries for process plant monitoring. As ER can be applied in any liquid or gaseous environment the areas of application are considerable. However, there is a problem with ER if a conductive corrosion product is produced as is the case with sour crude oil or gas due to the deposition of iron sulphide. 

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