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Title: Technical evaluation of hybrid membrane/DEA modeling. Topical report, January 1990-August 1990

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6029320

The report examines the potential for cost and/or performance advantages of a hybrid system, the integration of membranes and amines, over a single-stage membrane or amine system for producing pipeline quality gas on a small scale from high carbon dioxide subquality natural gas. The hybrid configuration evaluated is a membrane system in series with a conventional diethanolamine (DEA) system. Comparison of the established costs shows that each system has a region of operability. Membranes offer higher cost savings at low feed flow rates and high carbon dioxide feed contents. The hybrid system offers cost savings over moderate to high feed flow rates and for moderate to high carbon dioxide feed contents. The DEA system offers cost savings for moderate to high feed flow rates at low to moderate carbon dioxide feed contents. Membranes do not exhibit economies of scale which works to their advantage for removing carbon dioxide on a small scale. Processing costs for amine systems are more sensitive to economies of scale, and thus decrease more rapidly than for membranes at higher feed flow rates. The hybrid system offers cost savings in regions that have been perceived as exclusively amine treating applications, thus increasing the area of operability for membranes.

Research Organization:
Pullman Kellogg, Houston, TX (United States)
OSTI ID:
6029320
Report Number(s):
PB-91-243139/XAB; CNN: GRI-5088-221-1753
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Sponsored by Gas Research Inst., Chicago, IL
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English