(639a) Carbon Molecular Sieve Membranes: Tools for Engineering in Large Scale Gas Processing

New opportunities for the chemical processing industry hydrocarbon sectors have been enabled by the emergence of shale gas as a resource. So-called downstream processes, related to those closer to the end user or consumer often require both reaction and separation. Such processes still relies primarily upon energy-intensive processes for key separations. This presentation will explain why advanced polymer-derived membranes, in asymmetric carbon molecular sieve hollow fiber forms are key tools pursue downstream opportunities. Such membranes can provide significant positive changes to reduce energy intensity and carbon dioxide emissions in areas such as olefin-paraffin separations. To achieve such changes, merging fundamental science and engineering principles to translate different polymer-derived membrane materials into practical modules is necessary and will be described. Besides relatively easily implemented cases, possible longer term connections involving both separation and reaction opportunities in large-scale processes will also be considered.