To recover and purify hydrogen or to reject hydrogen from refinery, petrochemical or gas processing streams. Refinery streams include hydrotreating or hydrocracking purge, catalytic reformer offgas, fluid catalytic cracker offgas or fuel gas. Petrochemical process streams include ammonia synthesis purge, methanol synthesis purge or ethylene offgas. Synthesis gas includes those generated from steam reforming or partial oxidation.
Product: Typical hydrogen (H2) product purity is 90 to 98% and, in some cases, 99.9%. Product purity is
dependent upon feed purity, available differential partial pressure and desired H2 recovery level. Typical H2 recovery is 80 to 95% or more. The hydrocarbon-rich nonpermeate product is returned at nearly the same pressure as the feed gas for use as fuel gas, or in the case of synthesis gas applications, as a carbon monoxide (CO) enriched feed to oxo-alcohol, organic acid, or Fisher-Tropsch synthesis.
Typical PRISM membrane systems consist of a pretreatment (1) section to remove entrained liquids and preheat feed before gas enters the membrane separators (2). Various membrane separator configurations are possible to optimize purity and recovery, and operating and capital costs such as adding a second stage membrane separator (3). Pretreatment options include water scrubbing to recover ammonia from ammonia synthesis purge stream.
Membrane separators are compact bundles of hollow fibers contained in a coded pressure vessel. The pressurized feed enters the vessel and flows on the outside of the fibers (shell side). Hydrogen selectively permeates through the membrane to the inside of the hollow fibers (tube side), which is at lower pressure. PRISM membrane separators’ key benefits include resistance to water exposure, particulates and low feed to nonpermeate pressure drop.
Membrane systems consist of a pre-assembled skid unit with pressure vessels, interconnecting piping,
and instrumentation and are factory tested for ease of installation and commissioning.
Economics: Economic benefits are derived from high-product recoveries and purities, from high reliability
and low capital cost. Additional benefits include relative ease of operation with minimal maintenance.
Also, systems are expandable and adaptable to changing requirements.
Licensor: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
