SBIR Phase I: Novel Polymeric Membrane for Hydrocarbon Separation

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发一种用于碳氢化合物分离的新型膜。该项目的最初重点是开发一种选择性膜，用于在天然气加工中有效分离碳氢化合物和甲烷，以及在炼油厂应用中分离碳氢化合物和氢气。化学上坚固的聚合物膜将是由中空纤维多孔支撑和数百埃厚的叠加分离层组成的复合结构。分离层的纳米结构形态将使碳氢化合物分子的选择性分馏成为可能。该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力将减少石油、天然气和石化工业中碳氢化合物分离和净化的能耗。环境效益是相关的温室气体甲烷和二氧化碳排放的减少。该技术将影响碳氢化合物的分子水平分离，并将能够在恶劣环境和高温下运行。对碳氢化合物选择性膜技术产生直接影响的一个巨大的初始市场是从目前在偏远地区燃烧的伴生天然气（石油生产过程中产生的气体）中回收天然气和碳氢化合物液体。该技术的开发将能够在井中回收甲烷和高价值碳氢化合物，并具有广泛的经济和环境效益。该膜有望在高价值的气液分离应用中找到广泛的用途，包括从炼油厂燃料气中回收氢气，烯烃/石蜡分离和通用烃分馏。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a novel membrane for hydrocarbon separations. The initial focus of the project is the development of a selective membrane for efficient separation of hydrocarbons from methane in natural gas processing and separation of hydrocarbons from hydrogen in refinery applications. The chemically robust polymeric membrane will be of a composite configuration comprised of a hollow fiber porous support with a superimposed separation layer that is several hundred angstroms thick. The nano-structured morphology of the separation layer will enable selective fractionation of hydrocarbon molecules. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be reduced energy consumption in separation and purification of hydrocarbons in oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. The environmental benefit is the associated reduction in emissions of green house gases methane and carbon dioxide. The technology will effect molecular level separation of hydrocarbons and will be capable of operation in harsh environments and high temperatures. A large initial market with an immediate impact for hydrocarbon selective membrane technology is the recovery of natural gas and hydrocarbon liquids from associated natural gas (gas generated during oil production) currently flared at remote geographic locations. Development of the proposed technology will enable recovery of the methane and high value hydrocarbons at the well with extensive economic and environmental benefits. The membrane is expected to find broad utility in high value gas and liquid separation applications including hydrogen recovery from refinery fuel gas, olefin/paraffin separation and generic hydrocarbon fractionation.