Influência da temperatura e da pressão sobre a permeação de gases (CO2/CH4) através de membranas poliméricas assimétricas de PVDF e PSF

Abstract

Currently, there is a need in the world to substitute fossil fuels for renewable sources in the energy production. Natural gas has significant advantages over other fossil fuels, in particular the reduction in atmospheric emissions from their combustion. The use of methane, present in biogas, is a renewable alternative instead of using natural gas in its various applications, including as an alternative energy for vehicles. Within this context, polymeric membranes have received great attention due to several advantages, such as energy efficiency in operation and low environmental impact regarding to other technologies. Polymeric Membranes of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and polysulfone (PSf) were synthesized by the phase inversion method. Permeation testing under a range of operating pressure between 2 and 5 bar, and under a range of operating temperature between 20 and 45 °C, together with morphology analysis by scanning electron microscopy, allowed to identify the transport mechanism acting in the polymeric membranes. The transport mechanisms contributed to investigate and understand the influence of operating parameters (temperature and pressure) on permeability and selectivity in gas separation (CO2/CH4) in the polymeric membranes. The membranes of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) showed high permeability to both gases at all pressures (2 to 5 bar) and temperatures (20 to 45 °C) studied,, however, not attractive for this application due to low selectivity in gas separation, while the membranes of polysulfone (PSf) showed good prospects for this application, due to a better relationship between permeability and selectivity. Increasing pressure within the studied range (2 to 5 bars) resulted in lower permeate fluxes for CO2 and permeate flows constant and occasionally higher for CH4. The increase in temperature increased the permeate flux of both gases.