Sweep membrane separator and fuel processing systems

摘要

A sweep membrane separator includes a membrane that is selectively permeable to a selected gas, the membrane including a retentate side and a permeate side. A mixed gas stream including the selected gas enters the sweep membrane separator and contacts the retentate side of the membrane. At least part of the selected gas separates from the mixed gas stream and passes through the membrane to the permeate side of the membrane. The mixed gas stream, minus the separated gas, exits the sweep membrane separator. A sweep gas at high pressure enters the sweep membrane separator and sweeps the selected gas from the permeate side of the membrane. A mixture of the sweep gas and the selected gas exits the sweep membrane separator at high pressure. The sweep membrane separator thereby separates the selected gas from the gas mixture and pressurizes the selected gas.

主权项

1. A fuel pre-processing system including:
a hydrodesulfurization reactor operating at a pressure of 200-500 psig and a temperature of 200-500° C., for performing vapor-phase hydrodesulfurization of a sulfur-bearing hydrocarbon fuel, to produce a product stream including clean fuel and hydrogen sulfide; a sulfur compound absorbing reactor operating at a pressure of 200-500 psig and a temperature of 200-400° C., connected downstream from the hydrodesulfurization reactor, for adsorbing the hydrogen sulfide from the product stream; a supply of the sulfur-bearing hydrocarbon fuel connected upstream from the hydrodesulfurization reactor, to provide the sulfur-bearing hydrocarbon fuel for the hydrodesulfurization reaction; and a sweep membrane separator connected upstream from the hydrodesulfurization reactor to provide hydrogen for the hydrodesulfurization reaction, the sweep membrane separator including a membrane that is selectively permeable to hydrogen, the hydrogen provided by the sweep membrane separator being at a pressure equal to or greater than the hydrodesulfurization reactor operating pressure.