CONROE – US Patent 8425663 for Polarex®, an extractive separations technology has been approved. 

Polarex® provides gas processors, chemical manufacturers, and refiners dramatically improved separation of entrained and dissolved contaminants. It is designed to replace conventional water wash and solvent scrubbing towers.

Pentair’s Director of Innovation & Technology, Carl Hahn, Ph.D had a leading role in the development of the breakthrough technology. “Polarex is a robust platform which can be applied across a number of challenging applications to displace conventional extraction methods.” Dr. Hahn explained.

Conventional approaches to washing or scrubbing are often limited by contact efficiency and subsequent separation efficiency, resulting in limited performance and large capital investments. The Polarex® platform was developed utilizing advanced micro and nano-fiber technology to create a single stage, high efficiency, structured contactor/separator.

“Polarex is exactly what we’re about as an organization. Innovative solutions brought about by understanding our client’s processes and needs. This patent represents our commitment to improving gas processing and being a partner to our clients.” said Gene Rudolph, VP of Pentair Separation Systems.

The patented Polarex® technology may be applied to the extraction of soluble components from either liquid or gas process streams. It has application to both contaminant removal (e.g. - caustic, dissolved acids, salts, acid gases or reaction by-products) as well as recovery of valuable products or solvents (e.g. – recover soluble amines from treated LPG or recovery of LPG from high BTU natural gas streams) for as little as 20% of the capital associated with a conventional system. It has already been successfully installed in several NGL treating applications (displacing conventional amine contactors) with staggering results of 86% of operational time above nameplate capacity and 19% above design while maintaining treating efficiency.

The process benefits from Polarex® include: • High efficiency, consistent CO2 removal from NGL prior to fractionation • Significantly lower capital costs; smaller footprint and minimized foundation • Lower operating costs; utilities and solvent losses • Modular design and ease of operation