A Critical Review About the Challenges, Opportunities and Future Directions of Membrane Technology for Natural Gas Purification

Natural gas, a crucial and rapidly expanding energy resource, requires effective purification to minimize environmental hazards and meet quality standards for pipeline transmission and distribution. Among the various purification technologies, membrane technology stands out as an attractive option due to its cost-effectiveness, low energy requirements, and straightforward fabrication process. It offers significant advantages over traditional methods such as adsorption and cryogenic processes.In particular, membrane-based gas separation using hollow fibers (HF) has seen considerable advancement in recent decades. Hollow fiber membranes are advantageous due to their high specific surface area, reduced maintenance needs, and minimal pre-treatment requirements. However, their application is sometimes limited by their low tensile strength, which makes them susceptible to damage under high-pressure conditions.Braid reinforced hollow fiber (BRHF) membranes address this limitation by incorporating a reinforcing braid to enhance mechanical strength and durability. This reinforcement allows BRHF membranes to withstand higher feed pressures and more aggressive feed conditions without compromising structural integrity. With tensile strengths reaching up to 170 MPa, BRHF membranes represent a promising solution for natural gas purification, offering both enhanced performance and longevity.This review discusses various materials used in fabricating gas separation membranes, including inorganic, organic, and mixed matrix membranes (MMM). It also highlights the potential of BRHF membranes in overcoming the challenges associated with high-pressure applications and aggressive feed conditions, suggesting that they could significantly advance natural gas purification technology.