Membrane separation
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsAshish Balkrishna Mhadeshwar, Scott Michael Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of operating a membrane separation module is provided that includes the steps of directing a feed stream comprising a first component into the membrane separation module to separate the first component by permeating it across a membrane; and introducing a second component into the feed stream such that the second component has a higher permeability through said membrane than the permeability of the first component through said membrane.
Claims19
A method of operating a membrane separation module comprising the following steps:
- directing a feed stream comprising a first component into said membrane separation module to separate said first component from said feed stream by permeating said first component across a membrane;
- and
- introducing a second component into said feed stream, said second component having a higher permeability through said membrane than the permeability of said first component through said membrane.
A method of separating a first component from a gas stream comprising:
- flowing said gas stream over a membrane having a retentate side and a permeate side to permeate said first component to said permeate side of said membrane during separation;
- and
- introducing a second component, having a higher permeability through said membrane compared to said first component, into said gas stream before or during said flowing of said gas stream over said membrane.
A method of separating CO2 from an exhaust gas comprising:
- introducing said exhaust gas into a membrane gas separation module, said gas separation module provided with a membrane capable of separating CO2 by permeation through said membrane;
- and
- mixing a component, having a higher permeability through the membrane than CO2, into said exhaust gas before or during the step of introducing said exhaust gas into said membrane gas separation module.
A spiral wound membrane separation module configured to separate a component from gas mixture by permeating said component across at least one membrane;
- said spiral wound membrane separation module provided with at least one feed port and at least one product port;
- and
- said at least one feed port is configured to receive said gas mixture and a MPC component, said MPC component selected to have a permeability higher than said component to be separated.
A method of retrofitting a spiral wound membrane module for separating a gas mixture by permeating a component across membrane, said method comprising:
- providing at least one means for adding a component having a higher permeability relative to said component to said separation module before or during injection of said gas mixture into said spiral wound membrane module.
A multistage gas separation unit comprising at least a first membrane separation module and a second separation module;
- said first membrane separation module configured to receive a gas stream and permeate a component from the stream across a membrane system to form a first product stream;
- said second membrane separation module configured to receive first product stream and permeate said component across another membrane system;
- said first membrane separation module and said second membrane separation module configured to receive another component with a permeability higher than said component.
An IGCC system comprising:
- a gasifier to generate syngas from a carbonaceous feedstock;
- a gas cleanup unit;
- a steam content adjustment unit to generate a steam enriched syngas;
- a carbon dioxide separation unit configured to receive said steam enriched syngas;
- and
- a combined cycle power plant configured to use said syngas;
- wherein said carbon dioxide separation unit comprises at least one CO2 permeable membrane separation unit.
A method of operating a combined cycle power plant comprising:
- generating hot gases in a combustion chamber;
- driving a turbine using said hot gases to generate electricity and produce a turbine exhaust;
- generating steam in a HRSG using the heat content of said turbine exhaust to produce a HRSG exhaust stream;
- driving a steam turbine using said steam to produce additional electricity and a steam condensate;
- directing at least a portion of said HRSG exhaust stream to at least one membrane separation module provided with at least one CO2 separating membrane;
- and
- introducing said steam condensate in said HRSG exhaust stream upstream of said at least one membrane separation module.
A method of operating a coal based power plant comprising:
- operating a boiler using coal to produce steam and a flue gas;
- using said steam to drive a turbine to generate electricity and produce a low pressure steam;
- directing at least a portion of said flue gas to at least one membrane separation module provided with at least one CO2 separating membrane;
- and
- introducing at least a portion of said low pressure steam into said flue gas upstream of said at least one membrane separation module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.