TY - JOUR
T1 - Natural gas purification using supported ionic liquid membrane
AU - Althuluth, M.A.M.
AU - Overbeek, J.P.
AU - Wees, H.J.
AU - Zubeir, L.F.
AU - Haije, W.G.
AU - Berrouk, A.S.
AU - Peters, C.J.
AU - Kroon, M.C.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - This paper examines the possibility of the application of a supported ionic liquid membrane (SILM) for natural gas purification. The ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate ([emim][FAP]) was impregnated successfully in the ¿-alumina layer of a tubular porous asymmetric membrane. The pure gas permeability of natural gas components, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6) and propane (C3H8) were tested through the SILM at a trans-membrane pressure of 0.7 MPa and temperature of 313 K. The following trend of pure gas permeability was observed for the SILM in this study: PCO2>PCH4>PC2H6>PC3H8. Moreover, the CO2/CH4 ideal permselectivity was calculated. Mixed gas permeability and permselectivity for the binary mixture of CO2/CH4 (50/50%, v/v) was also measured. The mixed gas permselectivity (a=1.15) was found to be much lower than the ideal permselectivity (a=3.12). The performance of the SILM was significantly affected by the presence of water, which is also generally present in natural gas. Even though [emim][FAP] is an excellent alternative absorbent with high CO2 absorptive capacity and ideal solubility selectivity for CO2/CH4 (S=9.69), the incorporation of this IL in a SILM is less promising for the removal of CO2 from natural gas streams, because the permselectivity for CO2/CH4 is low.
AB - This paper examines the possibility of the application of a supported ionic liquid membrane (SILM) for natural gas purification. The ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate ([emim][FAP]) was impregnated successfully in the ¿-alumina layer of a tubular porous asymmetric membrane. The pure gas permeability of natural gas components, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6) and propane (C3H8) were tested through the SILM at a trans-membrane pressure of 0.7 MPa and temperature of 313 K. The following trend of pure gas permeability was observed for the SILM in this study: PCO2>PCH4>PC2H6>PC3H8. Moreover, the CO2/CH4 ideal permselectivity was calculated. Mixed gas permeability and permselectivity for the binary mixture of CO2/CH4 (50/50%, v/v) was also measured. The mixed gas permselectivity (a=1.15) was found to be much lower than the ideal permselectivity (a=3.12). The performance of the SILM was significantly affected by the presence of water, which is also generally present in natural gas. Even though [emim][FAP] is an excellent alternative absorbent with high CO2 absorptive capacity and ideal solubility selectivity for CO2/CH4 (S=9.69), the incorporation of this IL in a SILM is less promising for the removal of CO2 from natural gas streams, because the permselectivity for CO2/CH4 is low.
U2 - 10.1016/j.memsci.2015.02.033
DO - 10.1016/j.memsci.2015.02.033
M3 - Article
SN - 0376-7388
VL - 484
SP - 80
EP - 86
JO - Journal of Membrane Science
JF - Journal of Membrane Science
ER -