High-Packing-Density Microporous Membrane Platform

A scale-up and demonstration platform for low-carbon hydrocarbon separation using multi-channel inorganic microporous membranes. Focused on high stability, high packing density, and pilot-ready system integration for C4 isomer, refinery dry gas, and natural gas purification.

Packing Density
410-420m2/m3
Module-level validated range (target exceeded)
Module Area
1.54m2
Single high-efficiency module
Pilot Line
500m2/year
Completed and commissioned in 2024
Energy Savings
55-58%
vs. conventional distillation routes
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Industrial Need

Low-carbon hydrocarbon separation remains one of the highest-energy unit operations in petrochemicals. In 2022, China produced over 100 million tons of ethylene, propylene, and butane, while natural gas output reached 210 billion m3.

Conventional distillation for close-boiling mixtures (such as n/i-butane and propylene/propane) requires high tray count, high pressure, and high reflux, creating a strong demand for lower-energy alternatives.

Butane Distillation DifficultyRelative volatility 1.31, ~125 trays, ~3 bar
Propylene Distillation DifficultyRelative volatility 1.14, ~200 trays, up to ~20 bar
Core RequirementHigh-stability, high-density, low-cost membrane systems

2024 Program Positioning

Scientific LayerStructure control, transport model, service evolution
Engineering LayerMulti-channel scale-up, module design, process integration
Demonstration LayerC4 and refinery dry-gas/natural-gas pilot validation
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Membrane Mechanism & Material Route

Inorganic microporous membranes use angstrom-level pore matching for molecular sieving, moving separation from thermal equilibrium control to kinetic-diffusion control.

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    MFI for C4 Isomers

    n-C4 permeance up to 1500 GPU, n/i-C4 selectivity up to ~100

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    ZIF-8 for C3 Separation

    C3H6/C3H8 selectivity up to 130 (ideal up to 210)

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    CHA for Dry Gas Purification

    Validated in simulated refinery gas process design

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    Scale-Up Direction

    Single-channel to 19/61-channel high-density architecture

High-packing-density inorganic microporous membrane platform
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Scale-Up & Module Engineering

2024 work completed high-quality multi-channel carrier fabrication, long-element membrane growth, and module integration for industrial pilot readiness.

Carrier Architecture19-channel and 61-channel alumina supports
Porous Modification Layer~20 um (average pore size ~100 nm)
Industrial-Length Elements50 cm long multi-channel MFI/CHA elements
Scale-Up Repeatability>80% for 50 cm / 61-channel MFI
Module Configuration7 industrial elements per module, stainless housing
Effective Area / Density1.54 m2 and up to 420 m2/m3
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2024 Key Delivery Snapshot

Condensed annual outputs selected for engineering relevance only.

Target vs. 2024 Delivery

DimensionProgram Target2024 Delivery
Pilot line capacity>=500 m2/year500 m2/year completed and trial production started
Module packing density>=200 m2/m3410-420 m2/m3 achieved
Single module area>=1.5 m21.54 m2 achieved
Core membrane elementIndustrial multi-channel format50 cm / 19 & 61-channel elements delivered
Pilot application scenariosSystem-level integration readyC4, refinery dry gas, and natural gas schemes completed
R&D outputs>=8 papers / >=8 patents10 papers / 13 patents
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Pilot Benefit Indicators

Pilot studies confirm that high-density membrane routes can significantly reduce separation energy while maintaining high product purity in hydrocarbon upgrading scenarios.

C4 Isomer Route58% lower energyvs. benchmark distillation process
Refinery Dry Gas Route>55% energy savingrelative to conventional thermal process
Hydrocarbon Product Purity>=99%pilot specification target
Hydrocarbon Loss Control<=10%pilot process target (stretch <=5%)
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