Separation of hydrogen from hydrocarbons utilizing zeolitic imidazolate framework materials

US8071063B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY · US

Inventors

• Sebastian C. Reyes · Readington, US
• Zheng Ni · Annandale, US
• Charanjit S. Paur · Phillipsburg, US
• Pavel Kortunov · Flemington, US
• John Zengel · Centerville, US
• Harry W. Deckman · Clinton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 30, 2009
• Grant date: Dec 6, 2011
• Expiry date: Jul 20, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S95/902
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to the selective separation of hydrogen (“H2”) hydrocarbons in streams containing both hydrogen and hydrocarbons (e.g. methane, ethylene, ethane, propylene, propane, etc.) utilizing a zeolitic imidazolate framework (“ZIF”) material. Preferably, the stream to be separated is fed to the present process in a substantially gaseous phase. In preferred embodiments, the current invention is utilized in either a pressure swing adsorption process, a temperature swing adsorption process, or a membrane separations process to separate hydrogen from hydrocarbons present in hydrogen production streams or petrochemical/petroleum refining product streams and intermediate streams.