MOSCOW (MRC) -- Evonik Industries and Linde say that their joint membrane-based technology for natural-gas processing can efficiently separate hydrogen from natural gas blend at the point of extraction, according to Chemweek.
The companies say that a demo plant at Linde's Dormagen, Germany, site will act as a showcase for the efficiency and cost effectiveness of their joint technology. Further details have not been disclosed.
“The economic viability of extracting hydrogen from the current natural gas infrastructure depends largely on the efficiency of the gas separation technology. Membrane selectivity is a key success factor,” says Harald Schwager, deputy chairman of Evonik.
The technology, jointly developed by the two companies through a partnership announced in 2018, combines various technologies to separate the hydrogen, such as Linde’s pressure swing adsorption technology and Evonik’s HISELECT membranes, to deliver hydrogen at purity rates of up to 99.99%, they say.
“This high-purity stream of hydrogen could then be delivered to fueling stations, for example, to power fuel-cell vehicles. But it’s not just a source of energy; it’s also a valuable feedstock especially for the chemicals industry,” says Jurgen Nowicki, executive vice president at Linde and CEO of the Linde Engineering business.
As MRC reported earlier, in mid-October, 2020, Linde GmbH and Shell announced an exclusive collaboration agreement on ethane-oxidative dehydrogenation (E-ODH) technology for ethylene production. The catalytic process is an alternative route to ethane steam cracking, offering the potential of economic advantages, acetic acid co-production and significantly lower overall carbon footprint through electrification of power input.
Ethylene is the main feedstock for the production of polyethylene (PE).
According to MRC"s ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,594,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2020, up by 1% year on year. Only high denstiy polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased.
Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The focus on more specialty businesses, customer-oriented innovative prowess and a trustful and performance-oriented corporate culture form the heart of Evonik’s corporate strategy. They are the lever for profitable growth and a sustained increase in the value of the company. Evonik benefits specifically from its customer proximity and leading market positions. Evonik is active in over 100 countries around the world with more than 36,000 employees.
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