Preliminary design of a vacuum pressure swing adsorption process for natural gas upgrading based on amino functionalized MIL-53

by P. Serra-Crespo, T.A. Wezendonk, J. Gascon, H. Van Der Berg, F. Kapteijn
Year: 2015 ISSN: DOI: 10.1002/ceat.201400741

Bibliography

P. Serra-Crespo, T.A. Wezendonk, J. Gascon, H. van der Berg, F. Kapteijn, Chemical Engineering and Technology 38 (2015) 1183-1194, Preliminary design of a vacuum pressure swing adsorption process for natural gas upgrading based on amino functionalized MIL-53

Abstract

​A preliminary study based on a conceptual process design methodology that includes a technical evaluation and an economic study has been carried out for the use of the metal-organic framework NH2-MIL-53(Al) as adsorbent for the separation of carbon dioxide from methane. Among the alternatives considered, a vacuum pressure swing adsorption was chosen in the detailed design phase. The combination of a design with columns in parallel and the possibility of recirculating some of the streams ensures a high degree of separation and a final product with high quality without compromising the operation costs. A comparison with the state-of-the-art technology, amine scrubbing, and with a process based on membranes demonstrates that the proposed process is competitive as a result of its low operation costs and the energy demand.

Keywords

CO2/CH4 separation Gas separation Metal-organic framework Natural gas upgrading Pressure swing adsorption