Membrane Distillation of Amine Water at Moderate Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for concentrating amine water from natural gas treatment plants require high temperatures, vacuum conditions, and special materials, leading to high costs and inefficiencies, and are ineffective against the toxicity and caustic nature of amine water.
Innovation Solution
A process using membrane distillation (MD) at atmospheric pressure and moderate temperatures (30-95°C) to dehydrate amine water, employing hydrophobic and porous polymeric membranes, with a carrier gas to enhance vapor phase distillation and reduce chemical aggression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If traditional distillation is used to concentrate amine water, then concentration is achieved, but high temperatures and special materials are required leading to high costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies membrane distillation which utilizes phase transition of water from liquid to vapor through a hydrophobic membrane. The process operates at moderate temperatures (30-95°C) where water evaporates through the membrane while amine components remain in liquid phase, achieving concentration without requiring high temperatures as in traditional distillation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal field of traditional distillation with a combined thermal-mass transfer field using membrane distillation. The hydrophobic porous membrane acts as a selective barrier that allows vapor phase water molecules to pass while blocking liquid phase amine molecules, substituting the need for high-temperature mechanical distillation
2Quantity of substance
If traditional distillation is used to concentrate amine water, then concentration is achieved, but vacuum conditions and special materials are required leading to high costs
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane distillation process utilizes phase transition at atmospheric pressure, eliminating the need for vacuum equipment. Water transitions from liquid to vapor phase through the hydrophobic membrane at moderate temperatures, and the vapor is then condensed, achieving concentration without complex vacuum systems or special materials
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts water from amine water through selective vaporization through the hydrophobic membrane. The membrane is specifically designed to allow only water vapor to pass while retaining amine components in the liquid phase, effectively separating and concentrating the amine solution without requiring complex equipment
3Quantity of substance
If nanofiltration or reverse osmosis is used to concentrate amine water, then concentration is achieved, but high hydraulic pressures are required leading to membrane fouling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs membrane distillation which operates at atmospheric pressure by utilizing phase transition of water to vapor. The vapor phase water molecules pass through the hydrophobic membrane pores while liquid phase amine molecules are retained, eliminating the need for high hydraulic pressures that cause fouling in NF and RO systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hydrophobic porous membranes with specific pore structures that allow vapor phase molecules to pass while blocking liquid phase molecules. The porous structure combined with hydrophobicity creates a selective barrier that operates at atmospheric pressure without fouling, unlike dense membranes used in NF and RO
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method effectively concentrates amine water under milder conditions, reducing the volume for disposal and recovering high-quality water for reuse, while maintaining membrane stability and efficiency for at least 300 hours.
Implementation Method 1
A process using membrane distillation (MD) at atmospheric pressure and moderate temperatures (30-95°C) to dehydrate amine water, employing hydrophobic and porous polymeric membranes
Implementation Method 2
employing hydrophobic and porous polymeric membranes, with a carrier gas to enhance vapor phase distillation
Implementation Method 3
with a carrier gas to enhance vapor phase distillation
Data Source
AI summary
A process for concentrating amine water is achieved by dehydrating the amine water by membrane distillation at a temperature ranging from 30° C. to 95° C. and at a pressure ranging from 1.0 bar to 1.5 absolute bar.