An Efficient Technique to Remove Acid Gases from Natural Gas with a Hollow Fiber-Based Membrane-Assisted Gas Absorption Unit

This paper discusses the development and optimization of a novel technique, membrane-assisted gas absorption (MAGA), and its application in the removal of acid gases from natural gas, also known as the natural gas sweetening process. Membrane-assisted gas absorption is a hybrid separation technique that involves the selective absorption of acid gases with further permeance through the membrane. It is a pressure-drive heat-free method that occurs continuously in a steady-state mode. The application of a new gas separation cell design based on different hollow-fiber membranes (polysulfone gas separation and ultrafiltration) is discussed. This allows the ratio between the amount of absorbent and the area of the membrane in contact with it to be decreased. The applied membranes and the cell were characterized using the mass-spectrometry method to obtain the mass transfer properties with respect to the mixed gas. The absorbents were also studied, and their absorption capacity and viscosity were obtained. Based on these experimental data, the design of the optimal membrane-absorbent system was determined. Furthermore, the separation efficiency of the membrane-assisted gas absorption technique was investigated on model (methane, carbon dioxide, and xenon in the ratio of 94.5/5.35/0.15 vol.%) and quasi-real (methane, ethane, carbon dioxide, propane, nitrogen, butane, hydrogen sulfide, and xenon in the ratio: 75.677/7.41/5.396/4.534/3.013/2.469/1.389/0.113 vol.%) gas mixtures. The MAGA unit with 30 wt.% MDEA aqueous solution showed high gas separation efficiency for both mixtures. The MAGA unit can remove up to 96% of sour gases from the mixture. The hydrocarbon losses do not exceed 1%, even in the maximum productivity mode. The overall efficiency of the process can be improved using specific absorbents with aqueous solutions of amino alcohols.

Gas separation; Hollow fibers; Membrane-assisted gas absorption; Natural gas processing; Sweetening

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