Development of ceramic membranes for olefin recovery from liquefied petroleum gases

Objective

Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) processes in the area of crude oil refining lead to Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPG's) that contain a high amount of olefins (propylene and butane), which are high value petrochemical feedstock. An alternative to the current research on shape-selective cracking and oligomerization at high temperature (> 400°C) should be a membrane technology in which the olefin selective separation from their respective paraffin counterparts could be achieved at low temperature (< lOO°C). This is now possible taking into account recent advances in zeolite membrane development. The purpose of this project is to develop an innovative separation process that will offer a realistic and cost efficient solution for the removal of C3-C4 olefins from LPG's and the subsequent recovery of these hydrocarbons, by developing highly selective membrane systems, which exhibit high permeability properties.

Programme(s)

• FP5-GROWTH - Programme for research technological development and demonstration on "Competitive and sustainable growth 1998-2002"

Topic(s)

• 1.1.3.-5. - RTD Activities of a Generic Nature : materials and their technologies for production and transformation and new and improved materials and production technologies in the steel field

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH 'DEMOKRITOS'

Address

Terma Patriarchiou Grigoriou
15310 Athens
Greece

Participants (8)

CENTRE FOR RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY HELLAS

Greece

Address

Charilaou 6Th Km - Thermi Road
57001 Thermi

ECO CERAMICS BV

Netherlands

Address

Staalstraat 10
1940 EC Beverwijk

ECOLE NATIONALE SUPÉRIEURE DE CHIMIE DE MONTPELLIER

France

Address

8,Route De Mende 1919
34293 Montpellier

FUNDACION LEIA CENTRO DE DESARROLLO TECNOLOGICO

Spain

Address

Leonardo Da Vinci 13 Parque Tecnologico De Alava
01510 Miñano Mayor - Alava

HELLENIC PETROLEUM S.A.

Greece

Address

National Road Athens Korinthos 17 Km
19300 Asprpyrgos

REPSOL PETROLEO SA

Spain

Address

183,Calle Embajadores 183
28045 Madrid

SENER INGENIERIA Y SISTEMAS SA

Spain

Address

Severo Ochoa 4 (P.t.m)
28760 Tres Cantos

UNIVERSITE DE MONTPELLIER II - SCIENCES ET TECHNIQUES DU LANGUEDOC

France

Address

Place Eugène Bataillon 2, (015)
34095 Montpellier