Generon Igs, Inc.

Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas)

Arthur J Barajas

Frederick L Coan

John A Jensvold

Jeff C Schletz

A polymeric fiber for use in gas separation is formed from a spin dope which includes solvent and non-solvent materials. The fiber is passed through a quench bath, and then a leach bath, in which the solvent and non-solvent are removed. The quench bath and the leach bath include sets of rollers which transport the fiber through the system. Each set of rollers in the leach bath operates at a speed which is greater than or equal to the speed of the rollers which are immediately upstream. Thus, the fiber is stretched, in different amounts, at the same time that the solvent and non-solvent are being removed, and while the fiber is still wet. The resulting fiber has been found to exhibit superior flux and selectivity properties.

Method for making gas-separation membranes having improved flux and selectivity

A spin dope composition produces a polymeric fiber useful in non-cryogenic gas separation. The composition includes polysulfone as the polymeric component, two solvents, in which the polymer is soluble, and a non-solvent, in which the polymer is insoluble. The solvents preferably include N-methyl-pyrrolidone (NMP) and N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAC), and the non-solvent preferably includes triethylene glycol (TEG). Fibers made from the present composition have been found to exhibit superior properties of gas flux and selectivity, as compared with fibers made from spin dopes having only one solvent component.

Polysulfone membrane having high selectivity

A composition for making polymeric fiber membranes, for use in non-cryogenic separation of gases, substantially improves product flow, with only a small decrease in the recovery ratio. The composition is a spin dope including tetrabromo bis-phenol A polycarbonate (TBBA-PC) and tetrabromo bishydroxyphenylfluorene polycarbonate (TBBHPF-PC), in proportions, by weight, ranging (in percent) from about 60/40 to 40/60, and n-methyl pyrrolidinone (NMP) and triethylene glycol (TEG), wherein the ratio of the amounts of NMP to TEG, by weight, is in the range of about 1.6-2.5. The spin dope is used to make hollow fibers for use in gas-separation membrane modules.

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Oakley, CA, United States of America

Arthur J Barajas