Mathematical Modelling and Simulation of CO2 Removal from Natural Gas Using Hollow Fibre Membrane Modules

Gas separation via hollow fibre membrane modules (HFMM) is deemed to be a promising technology for natural gas sweetening, particularly for lowering the level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in natural gas, which can cause various problems during transportation and process operation. Separation performance via HFMM is affected by membrane properties, module specifications and operating conditions. In this study, a mathematical model for HFMM is developed, which can be used to assess the effects of the aforementioned variables on separation performance. Appropriate boundary conditions are imposed to resolve steady-state values of permeate variables and incorporated in the model equations via an iterative numerical procedure. The developed model is proven to be reliable via model validation against experimental data in the literature. Also, the model is capable of capturing axial variations of process variables as well as predicting key performance indicators. It can be extended to simulate a large-scale plant and identify an optimal process design and operating conditions for improved separation efficiency and reduced cost.