SBIR Phase I: Fabrication of Low-Cost Modules Incorporating Microporous Silica Membranes for Natural Gas Purification

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9860416 This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project addresses development of economical devices for purification of low-quality raw natural gas to pipeline quality. A large fraction of domestic natural gas reserves are currently uneconomical for recovery based on current market conditions because they contain significant amounts of non-methane gas. Membrane separations have appreciable potential for natural gas purification, but membrane devices with improved productivity over current state-of-the-art devices are required. The overall objective of this program is to develop a novel fabrication approach to incorporate microporous silica membranes into low-cost, highly compact modules. These membranes have high selectivity and extremely high permeability for separation of impurities from methane. Commercial availability of such modules would appreciably reduce costs associated with upgrading of low-quality natural gas resources. In Phase I, the chemistry underlying the novel fabrication approach will be studied. Microporous silica membranes will be incorporated on small support coupons via this approach and their gas permeation characteristics will be measured to demonstrate the technical feasibility of the approach. The gas separation membrane modules to be developed in this program would reduce costs associated with separation of a variety of industrially significant gas streams in applications including natural gas upgrading, carbon dioxide recovery from enhanced oil recovery operations, biogas processing, and helium recovery.