Patents Assigned to Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11813566
    Abstract: Described herein are membrane processes for separating CO2 from flue gas. An exemplary process involves passing a fluid stream including the flue gas across a membrane permeable to CO2 and H2O, removing treated gas from a feed side of the membrane that has less CO2 than the flue gas, and removing permeate from a permeate side of the membrane comprising CO2 and H2O. Suitably, the permeate is removed at a sub-atmospheric vacuum pressure. The permeate is then cooled to remove at least some of the H2O from the permeate and form a smaller volume of H2O-depleted, CO2 enriched permeate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard W. Baker
  • Publication number: 20230001349
    Abstract: Methods and systems for recovering sulfur dioxide from a Claus unit process emissions stream are provided. The method comprises the steps of generating a process emissions stream from a thermal oxidizer or other combustion device, introducing the emissions stream to an SO2 removal system, introducing the SO2 rich stream from the SO2 removal system to a CO2 removal system, and introducing an enriched SO2 stream back to the Claus unit. The SO2 removal system can include one or more SO2 selective membranes. The CO2 removal system can include one or more CO2 selective membranes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Membrane Technology and Research, Inc
    Inventors: Milind Vaidya, Sebastien Duval, Feras Hamad, Richard Baker, Tim Merkel, Kaaeid Lokhandwala, Ahmad Bahamdan, Faisal Al-Otaibi
  • Publication number: 20220380693
    Abstract: Methods are provided for reducing the quantity of acid gas reinjected into a reservoir by partial CO2 removal processes. The methods include acid gas removal, acid gas enrichment, generation of a CO2 rich stream and an H2S rich stream, and reinjection of the H2S rich stream into the reservoir. The acid gas enrichment can be performed by a solvent-based acid gas enrichment unit, a membrane-based acid gas enrichment unit, or a combination of a solvent-based acid gas enrichment unit a and membrane-based acid gas enrichment unit. The system includes an acid gas removal unit, one or more acid gas enrichment units, and an acid gas reinjection compressor. The acid gas enrichment unit can be a solvent-based acid gas enrichment unit, a membrane-based acid gas enrichment unit, or a solvent-based acid gas enrichment unit and a membrane-based acid gas enrichment unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company, Membrane Technology and Research, Inc
    Inventors: Milind Vaidya, Sebastien Duval, Feras Hamad, Ghulam Shabbir, Nasser Al-Aslai, Ahmad Bahamdan, Richard Baker, Tim Merkel, Kaaeid Lokhandwala
  • Patent number: 11420153
    Abstract: A process for recovering sulfur from a sour gas is provided. The process includes the steps of: providing the sour gas to a membrane separation unit having a carbon dioxide-selective membrane that comprises a perfluoropolymer, wherein the sour gas comprises carbon dioxide and at least 1 mol % hydrogen sulfide; separating the sour gas using the carbon dioxide-selective membrane in the membrane separation stage to obtain hydrogen sulfide-enriched gas and hydrogen sulfide-stripped gas, wherein the hydrogen sulfide-enriched gas has a hydrogen sulfide concentration of at least 20 mol %, and wherein the hydrogen sulfide-stripped gas comprises carbon dioxide; and processing the hydrogen sulfide-enriched gas in a sulfur recovery unit to obtain sulfur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignees: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Milind M. Vaidya, Sebastien A. Duval, Feras Hamad, Richard Baker, Tim Merkel, Kaaeid Lokhandwala, Ahmad A. Bahamdan, Faisal D. Al-Otaibi
  • Patent number: 11325065
    Abstract: A process for recovering sulfur and carbon dioxide from a sour gas stream, the process comprising the steps of: providing a sour gas stream to a membrane separation unit, the sour gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide; separating the hydrogen sulfide from the carbon dioxide in the membrane separation unit to obtain a retentate stream and a first permeate stream, wherein the retentate stream comprises hydrogen sulfide, wherein the permeate stream comprises carbon dioxide; introducing the retentate stream to a sulfur recovery unit; processing the retentate stream in the sulfur recovery unit to produce a sulfur stream and a tail gas stream, wherein the sulfur stream comprises liquid sulfur; introducing the permeate stream to an amine absorption unit; and processing the permeate stream in the amine absorption unit to produce an enriched carbon dioxide stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignees: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Milind M. Vaidya, Sebastien A. Duval, Feras Hamad, Richard Baker, Tim Merkel, Kaaeid Lokhandwala, Ahmad A. Bahamdan, Faisal D. Al-Otaibi
  • Publication number: 20220134276
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a counterflow membrane module configured to separate a feed fluid into a permeate fluid and a residue fluid across one or more membrane sheet(s). The counterflow module comprises a second end offset from a first end along the first direction where an inlet is provided at the first end and an outlet is provided at the second end. The one or more membrane sheet(s) each have a first portion, a second portion and a permeate section. A conduit is adjacent to the permeate section of the membrane and is configured to receive and output the permeate fluid separated from the feed fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Richard W. BAKER, Johannes G. WIJMANS, Timothy C. MERKEL, Karl D. AMO
  • Publication number: 20220134284
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a crossflow membrane module configured to separate a feed fluid into a permeate fluid and a residue fluid across one or more membrane sheet(s). The crossflow module comprises a second end offset from a first end along the first direction where an inlet is provided at the first end and an outlet is provided at the second end. The one or more membrane sheet(s) each have a first portion and a second portion. A conduit is adjacent to the first side of each membrane sheet and is configured to receive and output the permeate fluid separated from the feed fluid. The second portion of the membrane sheet has a greater permeance for a major component than the first portion such that the second part of the permeate fluid, which is generated by separation across the second portion of the membrane sheet, has a higher concentration of the major component than the first part of the permeate fluid, which is generated by separation across the first portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Richard W. BAKER, Johannes G. WIJMANS, Timothy C. MERKEL, Karl D. AMO
  • Publication number: 20210354078
    Abstract: Described herein are membrane processes for separating CO2 from flue gas. An exemplary process involves passing a fluid stream including the flue gas across a membrane permeable to CO2 and H2O, removing treated gas from a feed side of the membrane that has less CO2 than the flue gas, and removing permeate from a permeate side of the membrane comprising CO2 and H2O. Suitably, the permeate is removed at a sub-atmospheric vacuum pressure. The permeate is then cooled to remove at least some of the H2O from the permeate and form a smaller volume of H2O-depleted, CO2 enriched permeate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard W. Baker
  • Publication number: 20200360855
    Abstract: A process for sweetening a syngas stream, the process comprising the steps of: providing a syngas stream to a nonselective amine absorption unit, the sour syngas stream comprising syngas, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide; separating the syngas stream in the nonselective amine absorption unit to obtain an overhead syngas stream and an acid gas stream; introducing the acid gas stream to a membrane separation unit, the acid gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide; separating the acid gas stream in the membrane separation unit to produce a retentate stream and a permeate stream, wherein the retentate stream comprises hydrogen sulfide, wherein the permeate stream comprises carbon dioxide; introducing the retentate stream to a sulfur recovery unit; processing the retentate stream in the sulfur recovery unit to produce a sulfur stream and a tail gas stream, wherein the sulfur stream comprises liquid sulfur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicants: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Milind M. VAIDYA, Sebastien A. DUVAL, Feras HAMAD, Richard BAKER, Tim MERKEL, Kaeeid LOKHANDWALA, Ivy HUANG, Ahmad A. BAHAMDAN, Faisal D. AL-OTAIBI
  • Publication number: 20200360853
    Abstract: A process for recovering sulfur from a sour gas is provided. The process includes the steps of: providing the sour gas to a membrane separation unit having a carbon dioxide-selective membrane that comprises a perfluoropolymer, wherein the sour gas comprises carbon dioxide and at least 1 mol % hydrogen sulfide; separating the sour gas using the carbon dioxide-selective membrane in the membrane separation stage to obtain hydrogen sulfide-enriched gas and hydrogen sulfide-stripped gas, wherein the hydrogen sulfide-enriched gas has a hydrogen sulfide concentration of at least 20 mol %, and wherein the hydrogen sulfide-stripped gas comprises carbon dioxide; and processing the hydrogen sulfide-enriched gas in a sulfur recovery unit to obtain sulfur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicants: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Milind M. VAIDYA, Sebastien A. DUVAL, Feras HAMAD, Richard BAKER, Tim MERKEL, Kaeeid LOKHANDWALA, Ahmad A. BAHAMDAN, Faisal D. AL-OTAIBI
  • Publication number: 20200360854
    Abstract: A process for recovering sulfur and carbon dioxide from a sour gas stream, the process comprising the steps of: providing a sour gas stream to a membrane separation unit, the sour gas stream comprising hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide; separating the hydrogen sulfide from the carbon dioxide in the membrane separation unit to obtain a retentate stream and a first permeate stream, wherein the retentate stream comprises hydrogen sulfide, wherein the permeate stream comprises carbon dioxide; introducing the retentate stream to a sulfur recovery unit; processing the retentate stream in the sulfur recovery unit to produce a sulfur stream and a tail gas stream, wherein the sulfur stream comprises liquid sulfur; introducing the permeate stream to an amine absorption unit; and processing the permeate stream in the amine absorption unit to produce an enriched carbon dioxide stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Applicants: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Milind M. VAIDYA, Sebastien A. DUVAL, Feras HAMAD, Richard BAKER, Tim MERKEL, Kaeeid LOKHANDWALA, Ahmad A. BAHAMDAN, Faisal D. AL-OTAIBI
  • Patent number: 10738254
    Abstract: A process and system for recovering natural gas liquids (NGL) using a combination of J-T cooling and membrane separation. The process involves compressing, separating, and cooling a flare gas stream comprising at least methane and C3+ hydrocarbons prior to being introduced to a J-T valve. The cooled stream exiting the J-T valve is further separated, producing a NGL product stream and an uncondensed gas stream. The uncondensed gas stream is directed to a membrane separation step, which results in a C3+ hydrocarbon enriched stream and a C3+ hydrocarbon depleted stream. The C3+ hydrocarbon enriched stream may be recycled back to the process to recover more NGL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaaeid A. Lokhandwala, Sachin Joshi
  • Publication number: 20200078729
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for concurrently removing CO2 and SO2 from flue gas produced by a combustion process, comprising: (a) performing a combustion process by combusting a fuel and air in a combustion apparatus, thereby creating an exhaust stream comprising CO2 and SO2; (b) compressing the exhaust stream in a first compression step, thereby producing a first compressed gas stream; (c) providing a first membrane having a feed side and a permeate side, and being selectively permeable to CO2 and SO2 over nitrogen and to CO2 and SO2 over oxygen; (d) passing at least a portion of the first compressed gas stream across the feed side; (e) withdrawing from the feed side a CO2- and SO2-depleted residue stream; (f) withdrawing from the permeate side at a lower pressure than the first compressed gas stream, a first permeate stream enriched in CO2 and SO2; (g) passing the first permeate stream to a separation process that produces a stream enriched in CO2 and a stream enriched in SO2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: MEMBRANE TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Yu Huang, Richard W. Baker, Timothy C. Merkel, Brice C. Freeman
  • Patent number: 10464014
    Abstract: Sweep-based gas separation processes for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from gas-fired power plants. The invention involves at least two compression steps, a combustion step, a carbon dioxide capture step, a power generate step, and a sweep-based membrane separation step. One of the compression steps is used to produce a low-pressure, low-temperature compressed stream that is sent for treatment in the carbon dioxide capture step, thereby avoiding the need to expend large amounts of energy to cool an otherwise hot compressed stream from a typical compressor that produces a high-pressure stream, usually at 20-30 bar or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W Baker, Timothy C Merkel
  • Patent number: 10245551
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a power generation process in which a portion of the carbon dioxide generated by gaseous fuel combustion is recycled back to the power generation process, either pre-combustion, post-combustion, or both. The power generation process of the invention may be a combined cycle process or a traditional power generation process. The process utilizes sweep-based membrane separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W Baker, Timothy C Merkel, Johannes G Wijmans
  • Publication number: 20180346833
    Abstract: A process and system for recovering natural gas liquids (NGL) using a combination of J-T cooling and membrane separation. The process involves compressing, separating, and cooling a flare gas stream comprising at least methane and C3+ hydrocarbons prior to being introduced to a J-T valve. The cooled stream exiting the J-T valve is further separated, producing a NGL product stream and an uncondensed gas stream. The uncondensed gas stream is directed to a membrane separation step, which results in a C3+ hydrocarbon enriched stream and a C3+ hydrocarbon depleted stream. The C3+ hydrocarbon enriched stream may be recycled back to the process to recover more NGL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Applicant: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaaeid A. Lokhandwala, Sachin Joshi
  • Patent number: 10086326
    Abstract: A gas separation module and assembly for housing ceramic tubular membranes. The module includes a plurality of tubes containing the ceramic tubular membranes. The tubes are arranged parallel to one another and are supported by tube sheet plates at each end. Gas-tight seals surround each membrane, preventing a feed gas and a residue gas within the inner lumen of the membrane from mixing with a permeate gas in the tube interior. The module also contains a gas distribution pipe for withdrawing the permeate gas out of, or introducing a sweep gas into, the module. This configuration allows for ceramic tubular membranes to be modularized for use in an assembly that carries out many types of gas separations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Su, Moyeen Mohammed, Alicia Breen, Mamoon Rashid Khan, Nicholas P Wynn
  • Patent number: 10059895
    Abstract: A process and system for recovering natural gas liquids (NGL) using a combination of J-T cooling and membrane separation. The process involves compressing, separating, and cooling a flare gas stream comprising at least methane and C3+ hydrocarbons prior to being introduced to a J-T valve. The cooled stream exiting the J-T valve is further separated, producing a NGL product stream and an uncondensed gas stream. The uncondensed gas stream is directed to a membrane separation step, which results in a C3+ hydrocarbon enriched stream and a C3+ hydrocarbon depleted stream. The C3+ hydrocarbon enriched stream may be recycled back to the process to recover more NGL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaaeid A. Lokhandwala, Sachin Joshi
  • Patent number: 10022677
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for separating components of a gas mixture using gas-separation copolymer membranes. These membranes use a selective layer made from copolymers of perfluorodioxolane monomers. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for gas pairs of interest while maintaining fast gas permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenjie He, Timothy C. Merkel, Yoshiyuki Okamoto, Yasuhiro Koike
  • Patent number: 10017434
    Abstract: Gas separation processes are provided for separating dehydrogenation reaction products from a raw gas stream to recover hydrocarbons, specifically olefins, such as propylene and iso-butene, as well as unreacted feedstock. The processes employ a sequence of partial condensation steps, interspersed with membrane separation steps to raise the hydrocarbon dewpoint of the uncondensed gas, thereby avoiding the use of low-temperature or cryogenic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: Membrane Technology and Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas P Wynn, Alvin Ng, Douglas Gottschlich, Paul Su, Meijuan Zhou, Sylvie Thomas-Droz