Separation of methane from higher carbon number hydrocarbons utilizing zeolitic imidazolate framework materials

US8192709B2 · 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: Jun 5, 2012
• Expiry date: Oct 11, 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 methane (“CH4”) from higher carbon number hydrocarbons (“HHC”s) in streams containing both methane and higher carbon number hydrocarbons (e.g. 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 a process to separate methane from higher carbon number hydrocarbons in natural gas streams.