All posts by johnerichoffmann

Three Decades of Nitrogen.

Engineered to order Membrane Systems, Nitrogen Membrane, Technical Support,

PRISM Membranes is proud of the durability of the membrane separation products. Our customers depend on the PRISM Membrane equipment to provide a steady supply of nitrogen for oxygen-sensitive processes or to provide a safe working environment for flammable and explosive materials.

We received a call from the shop at one of the Northrup-Grumman facilities in Corinne, Utah, which was having some difficulties getting the nitrogen flow that was originally specified in their PRISM Membrane nitrogen system. The unit was due for some maintenance and it appeared that the membrane bundles needed to be replaced. We dispatched service techs to service a PRISM Nitrogen generator.

Investigating the serial numbers of the separators in question, it was obvious that the system was older, but the serial numbering didn’t exactly match the numbering format recorded in the Air Products archives. A little more detective work revealed the reason why – the system was constructed in the year 1992 and the separators were built by Permea, the business that was originally owned by Monsanto. The Permea business unit became part of the Air Products corporation around the same time so that is one of the last units manufactured under the old company name.

Permea Separator Label
Permea Separator Label from 1992

After 28 years on the job, the membrane fibers finally succumbed to all the effects of being fed by an oil-free compressor which was used to supply multiple departments on the campus. New fiber bundles were installed, and the system is generating nitrogen for everyone that needs it for their tasks.

We are penciling in the year 2048 on our service department schedule to update this set of membranes.

Helium Extraction with Membrane Hybrid

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Our process design experts, Don Henry and Cory Sanderson, will be presenting their research at the North American Membrane Society’s meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Don and Cory have developed a process to extract the valuable light gases, like helium and neon, using a membrane /PSA hybrid system. Here’s a glimpse into their research…


Abstract
Light noble gases, primarily Helium and Neon, are rare in Earth’s atmosphere and upper mantle and difficult to produce. Yet the gases are highly valuable to the many diverse markets which depend on their specific chemical and physical properties.

Air Products has developed a hybrid membrane/adsorption process to extract and purify a Helium or Neon gas from a feed gas stream. The process combines the best features of both unit operations– high gas selectivity with a unique recycle control loop to create a process which has superior performance over any membrane or adsorption only process. The process has flexibility in both scale and source of gas which gives it a wide application and potential implementation strategy.

Want to learn more? Send us a quick note and we’ll be sure to get in touch with you. The researchers at Air Products PRISM Membranes are continually working on cutting-edge technology for gas separations. We may have the technology for your next system.

The Air Products Hybrid Membrane-Adsorption Process for Light Noble Gas Recovery presentation is being delivered at the North American Membrane Society Meeting May 11-15, 2019 at the Wyndham Grand Downtown, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania (USA).

Safe Every Day

St. Louis Facility,

One day per year, all the Air Products PRISM Membranes equipment is idled and our employees gather for a “Safety Stand Down” where we review the last fiscal year and pause to reflect on what went right. Employees from all production shifts gather together to learn new ways to work safely and then to spend some time with co-workers during a day of celebration, some games, food, karaoke, and good fun.

Our teams celebrated another fiscal year ending with no recordable injuries. This is an impressive achievement since our facility operates multiple production lines on a continuous basis. Fiber is produced 24 hours a day 7 days per week, which means that we staff multiple production shifts working around the clock. There are employees working with industrial equipment that spins, cuts, crimps, and energizes the separators throughout the manufacturing process, creating opportunities for something to go badly.

 

Safety is first. This is embedded in our culture and our results show that our employees are serious about working safely and helping others to work safely. Every employee is required to participate in the APT (Accident Prevention Technique) program where processes and working conditions are observed and reported, safe work practices are encouraged, and potential problems are corrected before injuries occur.

Congrats everyone. Way to stay safe!

SafetyStandDownOct2018

Fire prevention equipment made with PRISM PA nitrogen separators.

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A shout out to our friends at Engineered Corrosion Solutions in Saint Louis, Missouri.

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Engineered Corrosion Solutions will be exhibiting at SFPE’s Annual Conference & Expo in Nashville, Tennessee from October 28 – October 30, 2018. As an annual participant, this is going to be the biggest year for ECS yet.  Stop by table #25 for hands-on product demonstrations of ECS product offerings:

Engineered Corrosion Solutions is using the PRISM PA nitrogen separators as part of their wall mount fire sprinkler corrosion prevention system. Be sure to check out the great work that they are doing keeping our buildings safe.

ECS_WallMountedSystem_Img1

Why are PRISM separators made of plastic?

Nitrogen Membrane

Air Products PRISM Membranes decided many years ago, to create membrane gas separators that are lightweight and durable. Evaluating many available materials, our engineers selected ABS for the shell (bodies) of the separators and aluminum end caps for the connection ports.

Our product philosophy is to provide a product that can be easily handled during assembly or field maintenance. The lightweight PRISM Membrane separators can be managed by one technician without the need for additional lift assist equipment. A benefit of PRISM Membrane separators is that they are a great fit for mobile systems. This is handy when your system is in a remote oilfield or in the hull of a ship.

Is ABS a good material choice for industrial products?

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is an opaque thermoplastic and amorphous polymer. It has a strong resistance to corrosive chemicals and physical impacts. It’s easy to machine and is very structurally sturdy, which is why it is used in things like camera housings and car bumpers. ABS is relatively harmless as it doesn’t have any known carcinogens and there are no known adverse health effects related to ABS exposure. If you need a lightweight and durable material that holds up well to external impacts, ABS is a good choice.

So, is it OK to have an untreated aluminum component exposed to the elements?

When aluminum oxidizes, it forms aluminum oxide. This naturally occurring oxide layer, which forms on any exposed aluminum surface, protects the metal from any further deterioration. Plus, any surface scratches immediately form a new oxidation layer, making the surface self-healing.

Aluminum Oxide is used in many products for its hardness and strength, primarily in abrasive products like cutting tools and sandpaper, where the aluminum oxide is a substitute for industrial diamonds. If you’re looking for a strong, scratchproof coating, aluminum oxide is a clear winner.

Note: Air Products PRISM Membrane separators are also manufactured in other materials, like stainless-steel, for specialty applications.

Phil_PA3020_Separator

Pushing the bounds of science. Again.

Biogas Upgrading Membranes, Process Gas Membranes, , , , ,

Air Product’s Dr. Adam Kratochvil will be presenting a brief synopsis of his work in developing thermally rearranged (TR) hollow fiber membranes at the North American Membrane Society (NAMS) conference in June 2018. The NAMS conference gives students and scientists, who are actively exploring new membrane technologies, a forum to present their research and to exchange ideas with others in their field of exploration.

DrKratochvil_96dpiThe TR technology was discovered by Hanyang University in Korea and is now licensed by Air Products PRISM® Membranes.  A TR hollow fiber membrane allows for very precise separations of molecules through the unique membrane structure resulting from a tightly controlled manufacturing process.  Adam will present the development process of the new TR polymer, hollow fiber membrane, and techno-economic evaluations for natural gas sweetening applications.  Scaling the process to commercial production presents a monumental challenge and Dr. Kratochvil has some valuable insights into making the process work successfully.

NAMS 2018 is being hosted by The University of Kentucky and King Abdullah University of Science & Technology at the Hilton Lexington in Lexington, KY, USA.

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Removing Carbon Dioxide is Cool!

Biogas Upgrading Membranes

In applications involving carbon dioxide separation, like biogas upgrading, there is Joule-Thomson cooling from the expansion of carbon dioxide across the membrane.

MolculeDiffusionIllustration_BiogasUpgrading

In thermodynamics, the Joule–Thomson effect describes the temperature change of a real gas or liquid when it is forced through a valve or porous plug. This procedure is called a throttling process or Joule–Thomson process. The effect is named after James Prescott Joule and William Thomson, who discovered it in 1852.

At room temperature, all gases (except hydrogen, helium and neon) cool upon expansion by the Joule–Thomson process. This throttling process is used in machines like air conditioners, heat pumps, and liquefiers to take advantage of the cooling effect.

In the biogas illustration, heat loss to the ambient surroundings will cause the membrane separators to cool, which affects productivity. These effects need to be minimized when designing systems.

Air Products PRISM Membranes has an experienced staff of process and application engineers that will work with your team to identify these types of system variables before your systems are deployed.

Contact Air Products PRISM Membranes for more information about gas separations and technical assistance.

If We Can’t Answer the Phone on Tuesday Mornings, You Now Know Why

St. Louis Facility

We’re extra busy on Tuesday mornings! This is the time that the Site Director, and practically our whole entire membrane business, gathers together for a weekly manufacturing and quality control review. Our “Stand Up” meetings are casual and usually only last 15 minutes… but we are committed to being there every week to share ideas about improving quality and high productivity on our manufacturing floor. We’re proud that Continuous Improvement is part of our membrane manufacturing culture.

By the way, we’ll gladly call you back if you leave a message.

Patent Expiration Inspires Manufacturers

Membrane Customer, Nitrogen Membrane

In September of 2012, Keurig’s patent on the original K-Cup expired. Manufactures in the food and beverage industry hustled to produce their own cartridge cups for single cup coffee makers. A few of these manufactures use small nitrogen systems that our preferred partner, The Titus Company, makes. On the inside of these systems are our PRISM nitrogen membrane separators which generate the nitrogen that the application requires. It’s exciting to hear of the diverse ways that our membrane is used…and in this case, the coffee grounds are surrounded in nitrogen before the foil lid is sealed to preserve the grounds better. Then, the coffee can be distributed to Amazon, or Target, or any other grocery store without losing flavor or spoiling.

Titus Nitrogen System
Titus Nitrogen System