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Membrane Technology

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Carbon Capture

Abstract

Membrane separation processes have many advantages over absorption and adsorption processes, some of which include the following: no regeneration, ease of integration into a power plant, process continuity, space efficiency, and absence of a phase change, which can lead to increases in efficiency. Membrane applications, however, require a sufficient driving force for effective separation of a more permeable species. In postcombustion capture of CO2 for a traditional coal-fired or natural gas-fired power plant this is a challenge due to the somewhat somewhat low concentration of CO2 in the flue gases of these processes. This is in the case that CO2 is the selective component for separation from the gas mixture. For membrane technology to be applicable for these somewhat dilute systems, either the CO2 concentration in the flue gas would have to be increased or the selective component would have to be the dominant species (i.e., N2) in the gas mixture.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For nonideal gases, the driving force is proportional to the fugacity difference across the membrane for a given gas species permeating the membrane.

  2. 2.

    Multiply by 3.348 × 10 − 19 to convert from Barrer to (kmol m)/(m2sPa).

  3. 3.

    For natural gas purification, the ideal separation factor for CO2/CH4 is ~ 20, and reduced to ~ 15 at high feed pressure; for N2 production from air, the ideal separation factor is ~ 6–8, with the residue stream (N2) as the product.

  4. 4.

    Based upon DOE target goals of 90% capture

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  1. Dept. of Energy Resources Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA

    Prof. Jennifer Wilcox

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  1. Prof. Jennifer Wilcox
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Correspondence to Jennifer Wilcox .

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Wilcox, J. (2012). Membrane Technology. In: Carbon Capture. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-2215-0_5

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