Development of High-Performance Polymer Membranes for Hydrogen Separation and Purification in Petroleum Refineries in Nigeria

Abstract

This study on Development of High-Performance Polymer Membranes for Hydrogen Separation and Purification in Petroleum Refineries in Nigeria has been made to qualitatively understand membrane formation via the phase inversion method (immersion precipitation) and the effects of spinning and processing conditions on membrane morphology in order to develop hollow fiber membranes with good combination of permeability and selectivity for hydrogen recovery and purification. The trade-off of permeability and selectivity is the main hurdle faced by polymeric membranes. In this work, membranes with adequately high fluxes of the more permeable
components (hydrogen and carbon monoxide, respectively) and sufficient selectivity have been developed. However, there is a significant improvement over current commercial membranes used for hydrogen separation and purification cost associated with the application of membrane
technology. Consequently, the study provides a key approach to meet the increased demand of hydrogen (for hydrotreating, hydrocracking or hydrodesulfurization processes) considering the environmental regulations.