Separating components of mixed fluid using a functionally graded material

A system for separating components of a common stream of a fluid wherein said fluid in said common stream includes a first fluid portion, a second fluid portion, and a third fluid portion all of which contain at least a first component and a second component, consisting of:

• an array of first, second, and third devices with said first, second, and third devices arranged in parallel,
• said first device having a first device inlet for flowing the first fluid portion of said common stream into said first device,
• said second device having a second device inlet for flowing the second fluid portion of said common stream into said second device,
• said third device having a third device inlet for flowing the third fluid portion of said common stream into said third device,
• said first device having a first device first outlet,
• said second device having a second device first outlet,
• said third device having a third device first outlet,
• a first component combining unit;
• said first device having a first device second outlet,
• said second device having a second device second outlet,
• said third device having a third device second outlet,
• a second component combining unit;
• and
• said first device having a first device material with a gradient in properties between said first device inlet and said first device first and said first device second outlets, said first device material having a first device first portion with an affinity for the first component and a first device second portion with an affinity for the second component;
• said second device having a second device material with a gradient in properties between said second device inlet and said second device first and said second device second outlets, said second device material having a second device first portion with an affinity for the first component and a second device second portion with an affinity for the second component;
• said third device having a third device material with a gradient in properties between said third device inlet and said third device first and said third device second outlets, said third device material having a third device first portion with an affinity for the first component and a third device second portion with an affinity for the second component;
• wherein said first portion of said first device material is positioned with relation to said first device first outlet such that the first component of the first fluid portion is drawn into said first portion of said first device first material with an affinity for the first component and wherein the first component of the first fluid portion flows from said first portion of said first device material out of said first device through said first device first outlet,
• wherein said first portion of said second device material is positioned with relation to said second device first outlet such that the first component of the second fluid portion is drawn into said first portion of said second device first material with an affinity for the first component and wherein the first component of the first fluid portion flows from said first portion of said second device material out of said second device through said second device first outlet,
• wherein said first portion of said third device material is positioned with relation to said third device first outlet such that the first component of the third fluid portion is drawn into said first portion of said third device first material with an affinity for the first component and wherein the first component of the third fluid portion flows from said first portion of said third device material out of said third device through said third device first outlet,
• wherein said second portion of said first device material is positioned with relation to said first device second outlet such that the second component of the first fluid portion is drawn into said second portion of said first device material with an affinity for the second component and wherein the second component of the first fluid portion flows from said second portion of said first device material out of said first device through said first device second outlet,
• wherein said second portion of said second device material is positioned with relation to said second device second outlet such that the second component of the second fluid portion is drawn into said second portion of said second device material with an affinity for the second component and wherein the second component of the second fluid portion flows from said second portion of said second device material out of said second device through said second device second outlet,
• wherein said second portion of said third device material is positioned with relation to said third device second outlet such that the second component of the third fluid portion is drawn into said second portion of said third device material with an affinity for the second component and wherein the second component of the third fluid portion flows from said second portion of said third device material out of said third device through said third device second outlet;
• wherein said first device first outlet, said second device first outlet, and said third device first outlet are connected to said first component combining unit;
• and
• wherein said first device second outlet, said second device second outlet, and said third device second outlet are connected to said second component combining unit.