CO2 Separation from Flue Gases Using Different Types of Membranes

The separation of CO2 from flue gases has greatly enhanced greenhouse effect. Presence of gases particularly CO2 continuously increased earth temperature. Its decrease greatly reduces global warming. CO2 is mainly found in fuel gasfrom combustion of fossil fuel, coal gasification and natural gas streams. CO2 gas due to its acidity reduces the calorific value of gas streams, makes it corrosive, and so causes problems for gas compression and transportation. Natural gas in pipelines contains less than 2% CO2 to avoid corrosiveness. Keeping in view of this problem there are various methods invented to reduce CO2 in gas streams before it is compressed. On the other hand CO2 can be used for enhanced oil recovery where liquid CO2 is injected into the reservoir to increase the flow of oil, therefore increase the productivity of reservoir. CO2 level in atmosphere can be reduced by injecting it deep into ocean or depleted well so economically and technically sound methods are needed for CO2 removal and capture.

Conventional methods for CO2 separation include chemical absorption with a monoethanolamine(MEA) solvent, cryogenic fractionation, and adsorption using molecular sieves. Although these methods are mature but their equipment complexity, energy consumption and capital cost is high.