US 12,215,288 B2 · Membranes for contaminant removal from natural gas and methods for use thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for removing hydrogen sulfide from natural gas. The method includes passing a natural gas feed including methane and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) through a membrane at normal operating conditions. The membrane is an asymmetric hollow fiber membrane or an asymmetric film composite membrane including a porous layer and a nonporous skin layer. The asymmetric hollow fiber membrane or the nonporous skin layer of the asymmetric film composite membrane plasticizes during the method by exposure to condensable gases with high critical temperature under the operating conditions. The membrane preferentially removes H2S over methane from the natural gas feed at a H2S/methane selectivity of from 7 to 40 when measured at 35° C. and 45 bar.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A membrane for removal of hydrogen sulfide from natural gas, comprising

a membrane comprising a plasticized component comprising an uncrosslinked hydrophilic polymer;
wherein the plasticized component comprises (1) plasticized asymmetric hollow fibers or (2) a nonporous plasticized skin layer;
wherein the membrane comprising the plasticized component comprising the uncrosslinked hydrophilic polymer comprises side functional groups selected from the group consisting of alcohols, amines, carboxylic acids and combinations thereof and removes H2S from a natural gas feed comprising methane and H2S at an H2S/methane selectivity of from 7 to 40 when measured at 35° C. and 45 bar and wherein the membrane comprising the plasticized component comprising the uncrosslinked hydrophilic polymer has increased H2S permeability and H2S/CH4 selectivity as compared to the same membrane without the plasticized component.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Membranes for contaminant removal from natural gas and methods for use thereof

Life of this patent

Membranes for contaminant removal from natural gas and methods for use thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19