VOC separation
Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) recently launched PuraMem VOC, a new membrane technology for the separation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This polymer-based membrane was developed for the separation of long-chain hydrocarbons from a natural gas or nitrogen mixture. The spiral-wound membrane module has been optimized for specialty applications, such as natural gas treatment, emission control in tank farms and other applications.
The new membrane technology functions on the basis of the different molecular sizes of the substances to be separated: the gas mixture streams through the membrane at a pressure of up to 80 bars; the larger VOC molecules pass through the membrane while the smaller gas molecules are retained. The company can adjust the selectivity to match a given application.