Research Projects

The propylene market, which saw a demand of 90 million tons in 2021 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.5% through 2035, requires the removal of propane produced during hydrocarbon cracking. Conventional cryogenic distillation methods are energy-intensive for C3H6/C3H8 separation, making the development of an energy-efficient method more important. Adsorptive separations offer cheaper and less energy-intensive routes for olefin separation, but regeneration issues need to be addressed. Membrane-based separation processes have gained attention due to their lower energy use, continuous operation, and low investment costs. Inorganic membranes like silica, zeolite, and metal-organic frameworks are promising materials for propylene/propane separation. Zeolite, with pore sizes between 4.0 and 4.3 Å, is a potential material for this separation due to its well-defined pore size, structural integrity, and ability to modify surface charge. Multiple stages of membrane separation are needed for higher purity. To increase separation factor by membrane-based separation, the initial composition of the feed gas is a key factor controlling the ultimate separation efficiency. A hybrid process involving adsorption followed by membrane separation using same zeolite (13X, 4A) and their metal ion substitute form may be more efficient. This proposal proposes a hybrid process for separation of C3 olefin paraffin mixture using adsorption followed by membrane-based separation using 13X, 4A, and their metal ion substitute form. Adsorption and membrane-based separation studies will be conducted with simulated gas mixtures of propane propylene individually, and performance studies will be conducted for 'combination of both' processes to achieve 95% propylene.