October 20
@
4:00 PM
–
5:00 PM
Daniel J. Miller
Senior Research Scientist
Schlumberger-Doll Research Center
An industrial perspective on membrane research
Polymeric membranes are an energy-efficient alternative to thermally driven separation processes. Natural gas processing is one of the largest industrial markets for gas separation membranes. Virtually all natural gas must be treated to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) before entering a pipeline, as these acid gases can corrode the pipeline in the presence of water. Cellulose triacetate (CTA) asymmetric hollow fiber membranes are effective for removal of acid gases from natural gas, although they are subject to plasticization and limitations on process conditions. While thousands of experimental materials—some with remarkable separation characteristics—have been proposed as alternatives, few have reached commercialization and legacy materials such as CTA continue to dominate. This presentation will provide an overview of ongoing industrial membrane research for natural gas processing. Current needs in membrane material science will be discussed. Because membrane modules operate within an ecosystem of other system components, the impact of membrane material properties will be contextualized among cost drivers in natural gas processing. Finally, the role of modeling will be explored, including prediction of module performance from laboratory-scale transport measurements, which can then be used to direct material discovery efforts to shorten time to commercialization.