Patent ID: 6299669
Filing Date: 2001-10-09
Classification: B01D,D01D,D01F,Y02C,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
A process for separation of CO.sub.2 from natural gas comprising:(a) contacting a CO.sub.2 -containing natural gas with a carbon membrane;(b) wherein said carbon membrane comprises an asymmetric hollow filamentary carbon membrane, comprising a partial carbonization product of an asymmetric hollow filament comprising an aromatic imide polymer material, comprising at least 95 weight percent carbon, and having a dense layer located in the outside surface portion of the hollow filamentary membrane and a porous base layer continued from the dense layer and located in the inside portion of the hollow filamentary membrane;(c) wherein said contacting in step (a) occurs at a pressure of at least about 200 psia; and(d) wherein at least a portion of CO.sub.2 in said CO.sub.2 -containing natural gas preferentially passes through said carbon membrane, thereby forming a CO.sub.2 -enriched permeate and a CO.sub.2 -depleted retentate.