Advances and Applications of Membrane-Based Processes for Hydrocarbon Separation

Hydrocarbon separation is a core process in the petrochemical industry. Traditional separation methods, such as distillation and extraction, have limitations including high energy consumption and harsh operating conditions. Membrane separation technology has become an innovative direction for hydrocarbon separation due to its advantages of simple operation, mild operation condition, and low energy consumption. Hence, this review summarizes the current membrane materials for hydrocarbon separation and their diverse separation applications. The regulation strategies for performance optimization of membranes in hydrocarbon separation, such as swelling resistance, pore size, and surface chemistry, are also summarized. In addition, special attention is devoted to the applications of advanced membranes in the separation of light and heavy oils, aromatics/aliphatics, hexane isomers, and xylene isomers. Finally, the research achievements of hydrocarbon separation membranes, along with their future development prospects, are discussed. Future research may focus on improving membrane stability, advancing the industrial-scale production of membranes, and developing the coupling technology between membranes and traditional separation methods.