Investigation of experimental variables on polyether sulfone (PES) membrane in dehydration of natural gas

This study has been carried out to investigate the dehydration of natural gas of Tabnak sweet gas field by using membrane process, with PES membrane as a new, simple and cheap separation process. The effects of various experimental variables, such as pressure, temperature and nano silica particles in dehydration of natural gas by PES were investigated. PES and its silica nanocomposite membranes were prepared by solution blending in N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) and casting-evaporation method.The homogeneity and nano scale distribution of prepared PES-silica membranes were characterized using Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Dehydration tests were done in pressure range of 2 to 10 bar and temperature range of 20 to 50° C, with nitrogen sweep gas. With an increase in the feed pressure, the permeated water was inhanced. On the other hand decreasing temperature, caused to improve the dehydration on process. Using PES-silica membrane increased water permeation.