che_february-2025 - 30

they can act as a " universal adapter "
that provides a simple, modular
way of combining technologies.
Advanced membranes can take
fluegas streams with varying CO2
concentrations and impurities and
deliver them at concentrations and
purities needed to efficiently feed a
second-stage technology.
Hybrid solutions can be used either
as a greenfield solution where
there is not already carbon capture
in place, or as a retrofit to make
existing carbon capture more costeffective
and energy-efficient.
One promising greenfield hybrid
configuration combines membranes
with cryogenic distillation. This
combination is particularly effective
for applications requiring very high
purity CO2 (greater than 99.8%)
for transport or storage. The membrane
system performs the bulk
separation, concentrating the CO2
to an intermediate level before supplying
it to the cryogenic unit that
further purifies the stream to meet
stringent specifications.
In cases where amine systems
are already installed or preferred
for high-volume applications, membranes
can be used to pre-concentrate
the fluegas, reducing the size
and energy requirements of the
amine unit [3].
For applications with lower purity
requirements or where pressureswing
adsorption (PSA) is already
in use, a membrane pre-concentration
step can significantly improve
overall
system efficiency.
Emerging metal-organic framework
(MOF) technologies for CO2 capture
could benefit from membrane
pre-concentration to optimize their
performance and reduce overall
system costs. Whether you combine
them with cryogenics to deliver
sequestration-ready CO2 or
only pay for the concentration you
need for utilization options, membranes
can help unlock a low-cost
process configuration.
The key to successful hybrid solutions
lies in proper integration and
optimization. Advanced membrane
systems are designed to fit inside
plants and close to flue stacks for a
hub-and-spoke design that can also
be less capital-intensive. This mod30
ular
design allows for easy integration
with existing assets and second-stage
technologies, simplifying
hybrid projects and accelerating
deployment. By leveraging the best
operating regimes of each technology,
engineers can design systems
that maximize energy efficiency
and CO2 recovery while minimizing
overall costs.
The potential of advanced membrane
technology for carbon capture
is not just theoretical. Several
pilot projects and field tests have
demonstrated the capabilities of
FTMs in
real-world industrial settings,
with several relevant highlighted
projects listed in Table 1. In
all of these cases, the performance
of the FTM membranes exceeded
expectations set by laboratory testing,
underscoring their potential for
industrial-scale applications.
Low-risk technology
As demand grows, the industry will
need to scale up the production
of
bon capture. The unique properties
of FTMs make them particularly
well-suited to fill the gaps left
by conventional capture technologies.
Advanced membrane solutions
address the challenges of
small, distributed, or dirty fluegas
streams, offering a flexible, modular
and energy-efficient approach to
carbon capture.
Moreover, the ability of advanced
membranes to act as a " universal
adapter " that connects the dots between
different novel and conventional
capture technologies opens
up new possibilities for carbon
capture solutions
across a wide
high-performance membranes,
while maintaining quality and reducing
costs. Many an entrepreneur's
imagination is very rapid; it jumps
from the laboratory to a pilot plant,
from pilot to commercialization in
a moment. But in the case of advanced
membranes, ample evidence
suggests low risk on the path
to commercialization and scaleup.
The industry has extensive experience
manufacturing and engineering
membrane process solutions,
from natural gas sweetening to biogas,
hydrogen and kidney dialysis.
Manufacturers can produce millions
of square meters of membranes
annually and have successfully productized
membrane processes.
Advanced membrane solutions
combine low manufacturing risk
with field validation to offer low
overall delivery risk. Numerous
technology providers and project
integrators are already exploring
partnerships with membrane solution
providers to enable hybrid
solution deployments.
As industry searches for a path
towards decarbonization, advanced
membrane technology is
emerging as a promising solution
for efficient and cost-effective carrange
of industrial applications. By
combining the strengths of membranes
with other established and
emerging technologies, industrial
operators will be able to create integrated
hybrid systems that optimize
performance and minimize costs
according to the needs and constraints
of their facilities.
We have only just begun to see
what the new frontier of membranes
can do, and as more development
takes place, expect even more advances
to come in the future. ■
Edited by Mary Page Bailey
References
1. Watson, J. C. and others, Techno-economic process optimization
for a range of membrane performances: What provides
real value for point-source carbon capture?, Carbon Capture
Science & Technology, Vol. 11, June 2024.
2. Jenkins, S., Advancing Industrial Carbon Capture, Chem. Eng.,
Oct. 2022, pp. 13-18.
3. Yu, M. C. and others, Hybrid CO2 capture processes consisting
of membranes: A technical and techno-economic review,
Advanced Membranes, Vol. 3, 2023.
4. Hägg, M. B. and others, Pilot Demonstration - Reporting on CO2
Capture from a Cement Plant Using Hollow Fiber Process,
Energy Procedia, Vol. 114, July 2017.
5. Clevenger, C., DOE invests $12M in novel membrane technology
that captures carbon emissions, The Ohio State University College
of Engineering press release, January 18, 2024.
Author
Christine Parrish is the vice president
of technology solutions at
Ardent Process Technologies (15
Reads Way, Suite 100, New Castle,
DE 19720; Email:cparrish@ardenttechnologies.com).
She
received
her B.S.Ch.E. from the University
of Delaware. Parrish began
her career in research where she
focused on the study of composite
membranes for olefin-paraffin gas separations. She currently
leads a cross-functional team to translate technical
attributes into tangible value propositions and successfully
transition products from the laboratory into the
field. Outside of her work with Ardent, Parrish sits on the
Industrial Advisory Board for the Bioprocessing Separations
Consortium and serves as the Past Chair for the
Young Professionals Committee for the American Institute
of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).
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