There are several key steps in the development of a robust membrane process that can be moved from lab-scale to pilot plant trials to a demonstration unit on-line at a refinery. These steps expand in complexity and size as process development moves forward. Both MAX-DEWAX and S-Brane are presented as examples of applications that have moved through this progression. Since these processes are large-scale and relatively low capital cost compared to conventional technologies, gains in yield, quality, or energy savings are found to offer significant economic benefits.
Experimentally, it appears that high-pressure nanofiltration and low-pressure pervaporation are governed by the principles found in solution-diffusion models. Data taken in OSN mode is used to estimate pervaporation performance. Choice of membrane operating systems is dependent on the composition of the feed stream and the required product quality. In some cases, the high throughput for OSN outweighs the higher selectivities gained in pervaporation, since OSN is inherently a lower cost process to operate.
Further investigations of new applications include toluene recovery from a toluene disproportionation unit, lowering benzene levels in gasoline feedstocks to <1%, and integration of membrane separation with aromatics reformer or distillation operations.
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