Advanced Membrane for CO₂ (AMCO)

Air Products and Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) have completed the Gassnova-funded Advanced Membrane for CO₂ Capture (AMCO) program. The program was a cross-functional collaboration between NTNU, Air Products AS, and Air Products PRISM Membranes to develop and commercialize the FSC membrane, as well as development system modelling.

The AMCO program was aimed at scaling up the FSC hollow fiber membrane technology. FSC membranes function via the facilitated transport mechanism that has been shown to significantly enhance membrane CO₂ permeance and CO₂/N2 selectivity when operated at sufficiently low pressures thus greatly reducing the number of required membranes necessary for CO₂ capture in large scale, low pressure flue gas applications.

Many project milestones were achieved; however, new technical challenges were encountered and the trials to scale-up the technology were not successful. Subsequently, Air Products has decided not to continue to pursue development and commercialization of the FSC technology. Nevertheless, both NTNU and Air Products recognize the importance of CO₂ separations and will continue to pursue membrane technologies that enable this separation in an economically viable way.