Development of gas separation membranes in Japanese ‘C1 Chemistry’ Project

Abstract The performances of membranes and their modules developed in Japanese ‘C 1 Chemistry’ Project are summarized. The new membranes which are an asymmetric polyimide, an asymmetric poly(sulphone-amide), a plasma polymer and a porous glass membrane have high selectivities enough to separate and adjust the compositions of the synthesis gas. Some of the membrane modules have higher flux and selectivity than those of modules commercialized at present. Separation systems with membrane processes are designed to produce the raw gases of fundamental organic substances from a coal gasification gas. Three systems, which employ porous glass membrane modules only, polyimide membrane modules only and both membrane modules, can provide H 2 -CO mixtures with appropriate concentrations. The latter two systems are more economical than the competitive process.