Air intake system with membrane unit for siloxane removal

A waste-handling machine, comprising:

• an internal combustion engine;
• an air intake system configured to direct intake air to the internal combustion engine, the air intake system including an air compressor configured to increase a pressure of the intake air;
• a membrane unit downstream of the air compressor in the air intake system, the membrane unit having a membrane selective for siloxanes, the membrane having a pressure differential thereacross with a first side of the membrane that is exposed to the intake air being at a higher pressure than a second side of the membrane when the air compressor is operating, the membrane being configured to separate the intake air into a permeate and a retenate, the permeate traversing the membrane to the second side and the retenate remaining on the first side, the permeate having a higher siloxane content than the retenate;
• a retenate conduit configured to direct the retenate to the internal combustion engine;
• and
• a permeate conduit configured to direct the permeate to a removal device, the removal device being configured to at least partially remove the siloxanes from the permeate, the permeate conduit being further configured to direct a treated permeate after treatment at the removal device to a position upstream of the air compressor in the air intake system.

A method for at least partially removing siloxanes from intake air flowing through an air intake system of an engine, the air intake system including an air compressor and a membrane having a selectivity for the siloxanes, the membrane being downstream of the air compressor, the method comprising:

• applying a pressure differential across the membrane so that a first side of the membrane exposed to the intake air is at a higher pressure than a second side of the membrane;
• separating the intake air into a permeate and a retenate with the membrane, the permeate traversing the membrane from the first side to the second side and having a higher siloxane content than the retenate, the retenate remaining on the first side;
• directing the retenate to the engine for combustion;
• directing the permeate to a removal device configured to at least partially remove the siloxanes from the permeate;
• and
• directing a treated permeate after treatment at the removal device to a position upstream of the air compressor in the air intake system.