Systems and Methods for the Separation of Propylene and Propane
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes George Claude
InventorsEdgar S. SANDERS, Frederic P.C.M. NOEL
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention generally disclose membrane-based systems and methods for the separation of propylene and propane that overcome certain issues associated with prior art devices and take advantage of a temperature drop across the associated separation membrane.
Claims18
A process for the membrane-based separation of propane and propylene, said process comprising the steps of:
- feeding a feed stream comprising propylene and propane to a first membrane, said first membrane comprising a feed port, a residue port, and a non-permeate port, at a temperature at or slightly above the dewpoint of propylene and a pressure between about 400 psia and about 600 psia, said first membrane having a selectivity for propylene of at least 6.5, whereby at least a portion of a first non-permeate stream condenses on or about said first membrane;
- and
- extracting a first permeate propylene enriched stream, wherein said permeate stream is extracted at or about the same temperature as said feed stream.
A system for the membrane-based separation of a propylene and propane feed stream comprising, in combination:
- a first heat exchanger adapted and configured to raise said feed stream's temperature to a temperature at or slightly above the dewpoint of propylene;
- a pump adapted and configured to pressurize said feed stream to a pressure between about 400 psia and about 500 psia;
- a first membrane, said first membrane having a selectivity for propylene of at least 6.5, a feed port, a residue port, and a non-permeate port, said first membrane feed port being in fluid communication with said pump;
- and,
- a second membrane, said second membrane having a selectivity for propylene of at least 2.5, a feed port, a residue port, and a non-permeate port, said second membrane feed port being in fluid communication with said first membrane non-permeate port.
A process for the membrane-based separation of propane and propylene, said process comprising the steps of:
- feeding a feed stream comprising propylene and propane to a first membrane, said first membrane comprising a feed port, a residue port, and a non-permeate port, at a temperature at or slightly above the dewpoint of propylene, said first membrane having a selectivity for propylene of at least 5.0;
- extracting a first permeate propylene enriched stream, wherein said permeate stream is extracted at or about the same temperature as said feed stream;
- condensing said first permeate stream;
- and,
- recovering said first permeate stream as a propylene product stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.