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

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This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project addresses development of economical membrane-based devices primarily suitable for: (a) purification of sub-quality raw natural gas to pipeline quality and (b) carbon dioxide recovery from enhanced oil recovery operations. A large fraction of domestic natural gas reserves are uneconomical for recovery based on current market conditions because they contain significant amounts of non-methane gas. Membrane-based devices are currently commercially employed to purify sub-quality natural gas, but membranes with improved productivity compared to now state-of-the-art devices are required to allow economic use of currently unrecoverable natural gas. The overall objective of this program is to develop an innovative fabrication approach to incorporate microporous silica membranes within low-cost, highly compact modules. Microporous silica membranes exhibit combinations of carbon dioxide permeance and CO2/CH4 selectivity that are unrivaled by conventional organic gas separation membranes, but have not yet been incorporated in low-cost modules to allow their commercialization. Commercial availability of such modules would greatly reduce costs associated with upgrading sub-quality natural gas reserves. In Phase I, the feasibility of the novel module fabrication approach was demonstrated. In Phase II, the separation properties of very small modules will be improved through systematic optimization of processing. Modules with ca. 0.1 m2 membrane area will be fabricated and tested for extended duration for separation of simulated raw natural gas, and a detailed manufacturing scheme with related costs will be developed in preparation for commercialization of the technology.The devices to be developed in this program would significantly reduce costs associated with purification of gas streams in the following applications: natural gas upgrading, carbon dioxide recovery from enhanced oil recovery operations, and biogas processing.