Sour gas treatment process including dehydration of the gas stream
AssigneeMembrane Technology and Research, Inc.
InventorsKaaeid A. Lokhandwala, Richard W. Baker, Lora G. Toy, Karl D. Amo
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Abstract
Improved membranes and improved membrane processes for treating gas streams containing hydrogen sulfide and methane, plus water vapor, carbon dioxide or both. The processes rely on the availability of two membrane types, one of which has a high hydrogen sulfide/methane selectivity and a high water vapor/methane selectivity, when measured with multicomponent gas mixtures at high pressures. Based on the different permeation properties of the two membrane types, optimized separation processes can be designed. In favorable cases, the processes can simultaneously dehydrate the gas stream and remove the hydrogen sulfide to very low levels.
Claims30
A membrane process for treating a gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide and methane, and having a relative humidity of at least 70%, said process comprising:
- (a) passing said gas stream across the feed side of a membrane having a feed side and a permeate side;
- (b) withdrawing from said feed side a residue stream having a relative humidity no greater than about 10%;
- (c) withdrawing from said permeate side a permeate stream enriched in hydrogen sulfide and water vapor compared with said gas stream;
- said process being characterized in that said membrane, when in use in said process, exhibits a selectivity for hydrogen sulfide over methane of at least 35, measured with a mixed gas stream containing at least hydrogen sulfide, methane and water vapor and at a feed pressure of at least 500 psig.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.