PROCEDE DE SEPARATION D'HYDROCARBURES A NON-SATURATION ALIPHATIQUE DE MELANGES GAZEUX

摘要

There is described the separation of aliphatically unsaturated hydrocarbons from gaseous mixtures by the combined use of liquid barrier permeation and metal complexing techniques. The liquid barrier is present essentially in a solid matrix that is a film membrane or is in contact with a film membrane, and the barrier contains complex-forming metal ions in aqueous solution. The liquid barrier is in contact with a relatively non-volatile, hygroscopic agent that may be in solution in the liquid barrier or composited with the solid matrix, This agent may serve to reduce the loss of water from the liquid barrier which loss may otherwise be excessive. The hygroscopic agent when composited within a hydrophilic film membrane, may serve to increase the permeability of the film and maintain the strength of the film when it is swollen with the aqueous liquid barrier. The metal ions in the liquid barrier may be, for example, noble metal, nickel, mercurous, cuprous or other metal ions, and mixtures of the metal ions, with or without other cations, may be used. The separation of ethylene from ethane and methane is of particular interest.