# US 10,369,515 B2 · Gas separation membrane module and method for gas separation

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- Number: US 10,369,515 B2
- Document ID: US10369515B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/839,334
- Filed: 2017-12-12
- Published: 2018-08-09
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2010-11-04
- Assignees: Ube Industries, Ltd.
- Applicants: Ube Industries, Ltd.
- Inventors: Yutaka Kanetsuki; Nobuhiko Fukuda; Nozomu Tanihara; Tomohide Nakamura
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10369515B2

## CPC

- B01D 53/22: by diffusion (manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00)
- B01D 53/228: {characterised by specific membranes}
- B01D 63/02: Hollow fibre modules
- B01D 63/023: {Encapsulating materials}
- B01D 69/02: characterised by their properties
- B01D 71/641: {Polyamide-imides}
- B01D 71/643: {Polyether-imides}
- B01D 2053/224: {with hollow fibres}
- B01D 2256/10: Nitrogen
- B01D 2257/104: Oxygen
- B01D 2311/13: Use of sweep gas
- B01D 2313/02: Specific tightening or locking mechanisms
- B01D 2313/041: Gaskets or O-rings
- B01D 2313/042: Adhesives or glues
- B01D 2313/2011: Pressure vessels
- B01D 2313/205: characterised by the shape
- B01D 2313/21: Specific headers, end caps
- B01D 2319/04: Elements in parallel
- B01D 2325/20: Specific permeability or cut-off range
- B01D 2325/32: Melting point or glass-transition temperatures
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

A process for producing nitrogen-rich air by feeding high temperature air at 150° C. or more to an air separation membrane module is described. After being placed at 175° C. for two hours, the air separation module exhibits a shape-retention ratio of 95% or more in one embodiment. The nitrogen-rich air can be fed to a fuel tank for an aircraft, for example.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gas separation membrane module, comprising:
a hollow fiber bundle including a number of hollow fiber membranes with selective permeability;
a cylindrical vessel housing the hollow fiber bundle;
a tube sheet placed at the end of the hollow fiber bundle, bonding the hollow fiber membranes together, wherein the position of the tube sheet in an axial direction is secured;
a cap member attached to an end of the cylindrical vessel, the cap member having a side wall that directly contacts and covers a part of a peripheral surface of the tube sheet and
a first elastic annular sealing member for sealing a gap between the outer surface of the tube sheet and the inner surface of the side wall of the cap member, the first annular sealing member being disposed on the peripheral surface of the tube sheet;
wherein the tube sheet does not comprise a stepped portion at its periphery on which the first annular sealing member is to be mounted.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gas separation membrane module according to claim 1, further comprising:
a second annular sealing member for sealing a gap between a flange portion of the cap member and a flange portion of the cylindrical vessel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The gas separation membrane module according to claim 2, wherein the flange portion of the cap member and the flange portion of the cylindrical vessel are connected by using a bolt-nut system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The gas separation membrane module according to claim 2, wherein the flange portion of the cap member and the flange portion of the cylindrical vessel are connected by using a bolt which is screwed into a threaded hole formed at the flange portion of the cylindrical vessel.