Gas treating membrane systems provide a safe and efficient option for removing water vapor and carbon dioxide from natural gas, especially in remote locations. Membrane systems are extremely adaptable to varying gas volumes, CO2 concentrations and product-gas specifications. A spiral wound cellulose acetate membrane unit offers the greatest efficiency per Mcf of product removed of any competing CO2 removal system.
Newpoint has utilized membrane technology extensively and strongly recommends the process for specific applications associated with carbon dioxide removal from natural gas.
Carbon dioxide membranes operate on the principle of selective permeation. Each gas component has a specific permeation rate, determined by the rate at which it dissolves into the membrane surface and the rate at which it diffuses through the membrane.
Components with higher permeation rates, such as CO2, H2 and H2S, permeate faster through the membrane module than components with lower permeation rates, such as N2, C1, C2 and heavier hydrocarbons. Carbon dioxide, for example, is a "fast," more permeable gas than methane. When a stream containing these two gases contacts the membrane, the carbon dioxide permeates through the fiber faster than the methane. The feed stream is therefore separated into a methane-rich residual stream on the exterior of the membrane fiber and a carbon dioxide-rich permeate stream on the interior of the membrane fiber.
The primary driving force of the separation is the differential partial pressure of the permeating component. The pressure difference between the feed gas and the permeate gas, and the concentration of the permeating component, determine the product purity and the amount of membrane surface required.
Explore completed installations that use this process.
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