This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will demonstrate the enhanced performance of membrane based gas liquid contactors to abate SO2 emissions from flue gas. SO2 present in flue gas streams leads to deforestation and damage to crops and property as a result of it's participation in the formation of acid rain. Commercial gas liquid membrane contactors use a liquid absorbent to allow selective removal from a flue gas stream. The process is a variation of the traditional Wellman Lord process, which uses an aqueous Na2SO3 solution as an absorbent. Compact Membrane Systems, Inc. (CMS) will develop a nonporous perfluorocopolymer membrane deposited on the microporous substrate to prevent progressive wetting out of the substrate by the liquid, typically aqueous phase. This improves and sustains the improved SO2 removal efficiencies. In addition, it is anticipated that the perfluorocopolymer layer will curb the transmission of acid vapors into the flue gas phase and reduce some of the oxidation of the sulfite in the absorbent to sulfate as a result of the excess O2 in the flue gas. The enhanced performance of membrane based gas liquid contactors to abate SO2 emissions from flue gas is of considerable interest to ore processors, many oil and natural gas processors particularly those which have to treat tail gases from gas sweetening processes.
