US3844735A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process
Assignee: Standard Oil Co
•
Filing: 1972-09-13
•
Granted: 1974-10-29
•
Expires: 1992-09-13
Abstract
Abstract There is described the separation of aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbons from gaseous mixtures by the combined use of liquid barrier permeation and metal complexing techniques. The liquid barrier is present essentially in a solid matrix that is a film membrane or is in contact with a film membrane, and the barrier contains complex-forming metal ions in aqueous solution. The liquid barrier is in contact with a relatively non-volatile, hygroscopic agent that may be in solution in the liquid barrier or composited with the solid matrix, This agent may serve to reduce the loss of water from the liquid barrier which loss may otherwise be excessive. The hygroscopic agent when composited within a hydrophilic film membrane, may serve to increase the permeability of the film and maintain the strength of the film when it is swollen with the aqueous liquid barrier. The metal ions in the liquid barrier may be, for example, noble metal, nickel, mercurous, cuprous or other metal ions, and mixtures of the metal ions, with or without other cations, may be used. The separation of ethylene from ethane and methane is of particular interest.
Inventors
- 👤 E Steigelmann
- 👤 R Hughes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:59
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D61/00; B01D61/38; B01D53/00; B01D53/22; B01D53/228; C; C07; C07C; C07C7/00; C07C7/148; C07C7/152; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P20/00; Y02P20/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
A METHOD FOR SEPARATING ALIPHATICALLY UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON OF TWO TO ABOUT EIGHT CARBON ATOMS WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING FROM A FIRST SIDE OF AN ESSENTIALLY SOLID, WATERINSLUUBLE, SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE, A VAPOROUS MIXTURE CONTAINING SAID UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON WITH AN AQUEOUS LIQUID BARRIER DISPOSED IN A SOLID MATRIX WHICH IS SAID MEMBRANE OR IS IN CONTACT WITH SAID SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE SAID LIQUID BARRIER HAVING METAL IONS WHICH COMMBINE WITH SAID UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON TO FORM A WATER-SOLUBLE COMPLEX, AND SAID LIQUID BARRIER BEING IN CONTACT WITH SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF A RELATIVELY NON-VOLATILE, HYGROSCOPIC AGENT TO REDUCE THE LOSS OF WATER FROM THE LIQUID BARRIER, THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF SAID UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON ON A SECOND SIDE OF SAID SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANE BEING SUFFICIENTLY LESS THAN THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF SAID UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON IN SAID VAPOROUS MIXTURE TO PROVIDE SEPARATED UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON ON S SECOND SIDE OF SAID SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE, AND REMOVING SEPARATED UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON FROM THE VICINITY OF SAID SECOND SIDE OF SAID SEMI-PERMEABLY MEMBRANE.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
159 words
A METHOD FOR SEPARATING ALIPHATICALLY UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON OF TWO TO ABOUT EIGHT CARBON ATOMS WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING FROM A FIRST SIDE OF AN ESSENTIALLY SOLID, WATERINSLUUBLE, SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE, A VAPOROUS MIXTURE CONTAINING SAID UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON WITH AN AQUEOUS LIQUID BARRIER DISPOSED IN A SOLID MATRIX WHICH IS SAID MEMBRANE OR IS IN CONTACT WITH SAID SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE SAID LIQUID BARRIER HAVING METAL IONS WHICH COMMBINE WITH SAID UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON TO FORM A WATER-SOLUBLE COMPLEX, AND SAID LIQUID BARRIER BEING IN CONTACT WITH SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF A RELATIVELY NON-VOLATILE, HYGROSCOPIC AGENT TO REDUCE THE LOSS OF WATER FROM THE LIQUID BARRIER, THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF SAID UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON ON A SECOND SIDE OF SAID SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANE BEING SUFFICIENTLY LESS THAN THE PARTIAL PRESSURE OF SAID UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON IN SAID VAPOROUS MIXTURE TO PROVIDE SEPARATED UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON ON S SECOND SIDE OF SAID SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANE, AND REMOVING SEPARATED UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON FROM THE VICINITY OF SAID SECOND SIDE OF SAID SEMI-PERMEABLY MEMBRANE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 in which the hygroscopic agent is polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for separating aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbon of two to four carbon atoms which comprises contacting from a first side of a semi-permeable membrane, a vaporous mixture containing said aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbon with an aqueous liquid barrier disposed in a solid matrix which is said membrane or in contact with said semi-permeable membrane, said membrane being essentially solid, water-insoluble, and permeable to said vaporous mixture in the absence of said aqueous, said liquid barrier having metal ions which combine with said unsaturated hydrocarbon to form a water-soluble complex, and said lIquid barrier being in contact with sufficient amount of a relatively non-volatile, hygroscopic agent to reduce the loss of water from the liquid barrier, the side of said semi-permeable membrane being sufficiently less than the partial pressure in said vaporous mixture to provide separated unsaturated hydrocarbon on said second side of said semi-permeable membrane, and removing unsaturated hydrocarbon from the vicinity of said second side of said semi-permeable membrane.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for separating aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbon of two to four carbon atoms which comprises contacting from a first side of a semi-permeable membrane, a vaporous mixture containing said aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbon with an aqueous liquid barrier disposed in a solid matrix which is said membrane or in contact with said semi-permeable membrane, said membrane being essentially solid, water-insoluble, and permeable to said vaporous mixture in the absence of said aqueous, said liquid barrier having metal ions which combine with said unsaturated hydrocarbon to form a water-soluble complex, and said lIquid barrier being in contact with sufficient amount of a relatively non-volatile, hygroscopic agent to reduce the loss of water from the liquid barrier, the side of said semi-permeable membrane being sufficiently less than the partial pressure in said vaporous mixture to provide separated unsaturated hydrocarbon on said second side of said semi-permeable membrane, and removing unsaturated hydrocarbon from the vicinity of said second side of said semi-permeable membrane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 3 in which said unsaturated hydrocarbon separated is ethylene.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 4 in which the ethylene is in admixture with one or both of methane and ethane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 5 in which the hygroscopic agent is polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 in which said metal ions are noble metal ions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 7 in which said noble metal ions are silver.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 8 in which said hygroscopic agent is polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 8 in which the unsaturated hydrocarbon separated is ethylene.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 10 in which the ethylene is in admixture with one or both of methane and ethane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11 in which the hygroscopic agent is polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 12 in which the liquid barrier is disposed in a porous matrix positioned on the feed side of said semi-permeable film.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 in which the liquid barrier is disposed in said semi-permeable membrane.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 in which the liquid barrier is disposed in a porous matrix positioned on the feed side of said semi-permeable film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 in which the liquid barrier is disposed in said semi-permeable membrane.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 16 in which the complexing metal ions are noble metal ions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 17 in which said membrane is hydrophilic.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 18 in which the noble metal ions are silver ions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 19 in which the aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbon separated is ethylene.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 20 in which the ethylene is in admixture with one or both of methane and ethane.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 21 in which the hygroscopic agent is polyvinyl alcohol.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3365276A
Cited
US3455817A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-28 | 1978-04-29 | 1978-10-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-28 | 1982-04-29 | 1982-10-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-28 | 1986-04-29 | 1986-10-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |