Grantee Research Project Results
A Novel Membrane System for Recovering Volatile Organic Contaminants from Air
EPA Contract Number: 68D30084Title: A Novel Membrane System for Recovering Volatile Organic Contaminants from Air
Investigators: McCray, Scott B.
Small Business: Bend Research Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: II
Project Period: September 1, 1993 through July 1, 1995
Project Amount: $149,706
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase II (1993) Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Air Pollution , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , Air Quality and Air Toxics
Description:
The removal of volatile organic contaminants (VOCs) from industrial process gases constitutes a significant industrial and environmental problem worldwide. Recovery of VOCs is advantageous for environmental process-efficiency reasons, but conventional technologies and "first generation" membrane technologies for VOC removal have drawbacks that limit their use for this application. These drawbacks include limitations on the percentage of VOCs that can be removed, excessive energy consumption, and inability to withstand exposure to the feed-stream components and harsh operating conditions.The overall goal of this program is to develop a membrane-based system for recovering VOCs that avoids the drawbacks of conventional unit processes and first-generation membrane technologies. This new membrane-based VOC-recovery system will be applicable to a wide range of VOCs and will be capable of reducing the concentrations of VOCs from very high concentrations to the 20- ppm level or below, recovering the VOCs in liquid form for disposal of reuse.
In Phase I, system feasibility was demonstrated. Hollow-fiber membranes were successfully developed from new solvent-resistant polymers, incorporated into high-efficient modules, and tested. The modules effectively reduced the concentration of a target VOC-- toluene--in nitrogen feed streams from 5,500 ppm to 20 ppm and maintained performance in long-term (650-hour) tests. An economic analysis showed the proposal system offers major cost advantages over competing technologies.
The focus of the Phase II program is to:
- Optimize the VOC-selective coatings used on the hollow fiber membranes;
- Scale up the membrane modules to a size that will allow field tests and pilot tests at a reasonable scale; and
- Field-test this technology.
Supplemental Keywords:
Air, Scientific Discipline, Toxics, POLLUTANTS/TOXICS, Engineering, Civil/Environmental Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, 33/50, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, Chemistry and Materials Science, VOCs, air toxics, Chemicals, Environmental Engineering, vapor permeation, emission control strategies, membrane technology, ceramic membranes, VOC removal, Toluene, emission control technologies, atmospheric dispersion, ambient emissions, air pollutants, membrane technology , emissions contol engineering, air pollution, silicon chemistries, ambient air quality, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), organic vapor permeation membranesProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.