| Abstract
| - Traditional systems for olefin/paraffin separation, like low-temperature distillation, are expensive and energy-consuming, and therefore, alternative separation methods are desired. The conceptual design of a new propylene/propane separation process (300 kton/yr at 99.9 wt % propene purity) by means of a gas/liquid membranecontactor and a selective silver salt solution is presented. It involves the selection of an absorption liquid(AgBF4), its concentration (5.5 M, assumed loading of 90%), and the operating conditions of the membranecontactor and the desorber. Subsequently, modeling of the gas/liquid membrane contactor is carried out. Thecalculated membrane area required for the process is approximately 80 000 m2. The influence of the assumptionsmade during the conceptual design and modeling stage is evaluated with a sensitivity analysis. Finally, apreliminary design is presented, resulting in a process flow sheet with equipment sized on standard designcriteria. A brief economic evaluation shows that the marginal difference between the feed and product pricesshould be at least 175 $/ton to make the proposed propylene/propane separation process economically feasible.
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