Prism membrane separation process

Power supply, 9 from a not gas stream, 12 generation with steam, 11 Pressure control, 42,44,51,52,59,60 Pressure drop cyclone separators, 617 gas-solid flow, 119-120 granular beds, 117 heat exchanger example, 193, 194 heat exchangers, 188 non-Newtonian flow, 106-109 wire mesh pads, 616 Pressure drop, piplines, 92 chart method, 96 two-phase flow, 116 typical values, 95 Ptaskie vessel code, ASME, 625 Prilling, 361,362 equipment size, 367 flowsketch, 366 operating, data. 367 products of, 367 size distribution, 362 Prism membrane separation process, 633 643... 

Monsanto and Ube (Japan) developed membrane processes for purification of hydrogen gas mixtures. This process is based on the selective diffusion of hydrogen through semi-permeable membranes in the form of hollow fibers. The Monsanto PRISM separator process (owned by Air Products as of 2004) uses a polysulfone fiber whereas Ube uses an aromatic polyimide fiber.46... 

Distillation and related vapor-liquid processes are by far the most widely used molecular separation processes in the petroleum, natural gas, petrochemical, and chemical industries, as mentioned earlier. It is highly unlikely that adsorption will ever rival distillation in frequency of use, but adsorption will continue to m e inroads into its domain. Adsorption s serious competition for the separations for which it is now used would seem to come chiefly from membrane-based processes, and especially fixed-membrane processes. For example, Monsanto s Prism hollow-fiber-based process has been commercialized in a number of hydrogen-upgrading applications, and a growing number of other applications are being pursued. 

During the 1970s, considerable research and developmental work was devoted to membranes. Many potential applications were identified, but commercialization was slow. In 1977, Monsanto demonstrated its first full scale membrane separator at Texas City, Texas, in a hydrogen/carbon monoxide ratio adjustment application (Burmaster and Carter, 1983). In 1979, Monsanto commercialized its hollow fiber membrane module as the Prism separator. From 1979 to 1982 Prism separators were evaluated in several refinery hydrogen purification applications (Bollinger et al., 1982). The success of these pilot tests established the commercial viability of gas separation with membranes. The first large scale commercial CO2 membrane separation project was the installation of two membrane separation facilities at the Sacroc tertiary oil recovery project in West Texas in 1983. Up to 80 MMscfd of gas has been processed in these facilities (Parro, 1984). 

Non-porous polymeric membranes are usually employed for gas separation, although porous ones can also be used. Composite polymeric membranes developed in the 1970s made the separation of gas streams commercially feasible. The first large-scale gas separation modules were developed by DuPont in early 1970s, but the first successful commercial membrane gas separation processes (PRISM) were announced by Monsanto in late 1970s. 

Gas separation through membranes achieved commercialization after the introduction of the Prism process by Monsanto a decade ago. Originated for hydrogen recovery, high area membrane equipment is now used for other gases, notably C02 [1]. Hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and other components are now being removed from mixtures on an industrial scale [2, 3],... 

In order for membranes to be used in a commercial separation system they must be packaged in a manner that supports the membrane and facilitates handling of the two product gas streams. These packages are generally referred to as elements or bundles. The most common types of membrane elements in use today include the spiral-wound, hollow fiber, tubular, and plate and frame configurations. The systems currently being marketed for gas separation are of the spiral-wound type, such as the SEPAREX and Delsep processes, and the hollow-fiber type such as the Prism separator and the Cynara Company process. 

Membrane gas separation by PRISM separators offers a low cost processing alternative to conventional C02 removal processes61 62 as shown in Table 10.2. 

As previously mentioned, the first widespread commercial application of membranes in GS was the separation of hydrogen in the ammonia purge stream, by using Permea Prism T systems. Hydrogen recovery is applicable to several processes, divided into three main categories ... 

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