Fabrication and scale-up of multi-leaf spiral-wound membrane modules for CO2 capture from flue gas

• Published in: Journal of membrane science 2020-02, Vol.595 (C), p.117504, Article 117504
• Main Authors: Chen, Kai K., Salim, Witopo, Han, Yang, Wu, Dongzhu, Ho, W.S. Winston
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon capture; Gas separation; Module fabrication; Module scale-up; Spiral-wound module
• ISSN: 0376-7388; 1873-3123
• DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.117504

Facilitated transport membranes for CO2 capture from flue gas were scaled up and subsequently fabricated into spiral-wound modules. In order to increase the membrane area in each module conveniently, a multi-leaf rolling procedure utilizing a carrier layer was used, and the fabrication steps were documented in detail. The prototype module comprised up to 7 membrane leaves (each membrane leaf had dimensions of 14″ by 36″) and had a total membrane area of up to 2.94 m2. By controlling the spacer thicknesses, the packing density in each of the modules was enhanced, while the pressure drops on both feed and permeate sides were maintained below 1.5 psi/m. The fabricated membrane modules showed consistent transport results as the corresponding scale-up membranes. For instance, a CO2 permeance of 1450 GPU and a CO2/N2 selectivity of 185 were achieved with a simulated flue gas at 67 °C. Furthermore, the pressure drop and concentration polarization phenomenon were quantitatively correlated to the feed flow rate. The developed correlations were used to predict the separation performance of a full-size (8″ × 40″) module. •Fabrication procedure of multi-leaf spiral-wound module is detailed.•Suitable spacers were identified to achieve optimal module performance.•Modules each with 2.94 m2 area were attained through facile scale-up procedure.•Commercial-size module of 70.4 m2 is predicted based on rolling materials.•Pressure drop and concentration polarization were included in module modeling.