Gas separation device with nanocomposite membrane

• US 9,815,019 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2017
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals
• Original Assignee: King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals
• Inventors: Zahir, Md. Hasan
• Primary Examiner(s): Shumate, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US15/683,225
• Publication Number:
  US 20170348633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 84 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2053/221 Devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/16 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2256/18 Noble gases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/102 Nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/504 Carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/08 Specific temperatures applied
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/081 Heating
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/12 Specific ratios of components used
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2323/48 Influencing the pH
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/02831 less than 1 nm
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/02832 1-10 nm
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/04 Characteristic thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/228 characterised by specific membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0048 by sol-gel transition
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/02 characterised by their properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/10 Supported membranes; Membrane supports
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/108 Inorganic support material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/12 Composite membranes; Ultra-thin membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/1216 Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/024 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/027 : Silicium oxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y02C 20/40 : of CO2

Abstract

A nanocomposite membrane including α-Al₂O₃ membrane support, a γ-Al₂O₃ intermediate layer that is 300-1200 nm thick and coats a surface of the membrane support, and a nanocomposite layer including SiO₂ and Y₂O₃ that is 25-150 nm thick and coats a surface of the intermediate layer, wherein the nanocomposite layer is porous with an average largest radius micropore of 0.2-0.6 nm. A method of manufacturing the nanocomposite membrane, whereby the membrane support is coated with the γ-Al₂O₃, a silica source is hydrolyzed with a mixture of water, an alcohol solvent, and a Y source with a sol-gel technique yield a Si/Y sol-gel, the membrane support is dip coated with the Si/Y sol-gel, and the nanocomposite membrane is calcined. A method of separating a mixture of gas, whereby the mixture of gas is introduced into a permeance cell and fed through the nanocomposite membrane.

Claims

1. A gas separation device, comprising:

a permeance cell having an upstream feed end and a downstream permeate end, and a nanocomposite membrane between the upstream feed end and the downstream permeate end of the permeance cell,

wherein the nanocomposite membrane is configured to separate a first gas having high permeance through the nanocomposite membrane from a second gas having low permeance through the nanocomposite membrane;

wherein the nanocomposite membrane comprises;

a tubular α

-Al₂O₃ membrane support;

an intermediate layer comprising γ

-Al₂O₃, wherein the intermediate layer is 300-1200 nm thick and coats a surface of the tubular α

-Al₂O₃ membrane support;

a nanocomposite layer comprising SiO₂ and Y₂O₃, wherein the nanocomposite layer is 25-150 nm thick and coats a surface of the intermediate layer;

wherein the nanocomposite layer is porous with an average largest radius micropore 0.2-0.6 nm.

2. The gas separation device of claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer comprises at least two distinct γ

-Al₂O₃ layers, each distinct γ

-Al₂O₃ layer being 150-600 nm thick.

3. The gas separation device of claim 1, wherein the Y₂O₃ the form of nanoparticles with a largest dimension of 1-6 nm, the nanocomposite layer is in the form of a SiO₂ matrix, and the Y₂O₃ nanoparticles are dispersed in or deposited onto the SiO₂ matrix.

4. The gas separation device of claim 3, wherein the nanocomposite layer is porous with an average mesopore radius of 1-4 nm.

5. The gas separation device of claim 1, wherein the molar ratio of Si:

Y in the nanocomposite membrane is 1;

1 to 5;

1.

6. The gas separation device of claim 1, wherein the nanocomposite membrane has a membrane permeance of 1e⁻

8-1e<sup>−

6</sup> mol/m²·

sec·

Pa for the first gas, and a membrane permeance of 1e<sup>−

10</sup>-1e<sup>−

9</sup> mol/m²·

sec·

Pa for the second gas when a mixture of gas comprising the first gas and the second gas is fed through the permeance cell at a temperature of 100-650°

C.

7. The gas separation device of claim 6, wherein the first gas is H₂, He, or both, and the second gas is N₂, CO₂, or both.

8. The gas separation device of claim 1, wherein the nanocomposite membrane has a membrane permeance of 1e⁻

8-1e<sup>−

6</sup> mol/m²·

sec·

Pa for the first gas, and a membrane permeance of 1e<sup>−

10</sup>-1e<sup>−

9</sup> mol/m²·

sec·

Pa for the second gas when a mixture of gas comprising the first gas, the second gas, and up to 5 wt % of steam relative to the total weight of the mixture of gas is fed through the nanocomposite membrane.

9. A method of separating a mixture of gas comprising a first gas and a second gas, comprising:

introducing the mixture of gas into the upstream feed end of the permeance cell of the gas separation device of claim 1, wherein the nanocomposite layer of the nanocomposite membrane faces toward the upstream feed end and forms a permeable barrier between the upstream feed end and the downstream permeate end;

applying a vacuum to the downstream permeate end; and

separating the first gas from the second gas by allowing the first gas to pass through the nanocomposite membrane and to the downstream permeate end, and prohibiting the second gas from passing through the nanocomposite membrane.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first gas is H₂, He, or both, and the second gas is N₂, CO₂, or both.