MEMBRANE-BASED GAS AND VAPOR SEPARATIONS

Industrial gas separation by membranes began in 1980 with the introduction of hollow-fiber polysulfone membrane systems by Permea, at that time a division of Monsanto. This first application was the recovery of hydrogen from ammonia reactor purge gas and was soon followed by the generation of nitrogen from air. Today, membrane gas separation ranks second behind cryogenic distillation in terms of nitrogen production, and this application has drawn the industrial gas companies into the membrane field.(omitted)