24-10-2013

Air Products fabrication and sale of 500th PRISM membrane process gas system

Air Products has now fabricated and sold 500 PRISM® Membrane Process Gas Systems to customers all around the world, including a handful of systems that the company has incorporated into its own plants. The latest order for two process gas systems, which will be used to upgrade Air Products’ facility in Baytown, Texas, pushes the company past the 500 milestone mark. The units are expected to be installed in early 2014.

“Air Products has selected PRISM® Membrane Technology for use in our own facilities because of its proven track record for critical gas separation applications,” said Tom Mutchler, vice president, Global Engineering and Manufacturing. “The excellent performance and reliability of PRISM Membrane Process Gas Systems make them the best solution for this application.”

Each of the systems is engineered with PRISM® Membrane Separators, which are manufactured exclusively at Air Products’ facility in St. Louis, Missouri. The PRISM Membrane Separators contain polymeric hollow fibers that use selective permeation under differential pressure to separate hydrogen from methane, carbon monoxide, and other hydrocarbons.

Since 1977, a global team consisting of engineers from Air Products in the U.S., Belgium, China, and Norway has custom engineered, fabricated, and delivered each of the 500 Process Gas Systems. Most of the 500 systems are used for hydrogen recovery or carbon monoxide purification, with a large portion being located in the U.S. and China. Air Products’ PRISM Membrane Process Gas Systems are used in over 225 ammonia plants around the world to recover hydrogen to generate more ammonia. These systems are also used in 90 oil refineries globally, not only to reject light hydrocarbons from high-pressure hydroprocessor loops, but also to recover hydrogen from off-gases.

“Most of the installed PRISM Membrane Process Gas Systems are still online and running today due to rigorous design, routine maintenance, and long membrane life,” said Ian Backhouse, global business director, Process Gas Systems at Air Products. “For more than 35 years, these systems have been providing an economical and durable solution for hydrogen and carbon monoxide separation and recovery in the refining, petrochemical, and fertilizer markets.”