# US 10,765,992 B2 · Gas separation membrane module and method for gas separation

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- Number: US 10,765,992 B2
- Document ID: US10765992B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/298,524
- Filed: 2019-03-11
- Published: 2019-07-04
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- 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/US10765992B2

## 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 cartridge housing a hollow fiber bundle including a number of hollow fiber membranes in a cylindrical vessel, each hollow fiber membrane extends in parallel the length of the cylindrical vessel,
capping members each of which is configured to be attached to both end of said cartridge,
sealing members for sealing between each of said capping members and said cartridge respectively, and
a fixture for fixing said capping members to each other, said fixture being disposed outside of the cartridge,
wherein said cartridge is replaceably mounted between said capping members, and
wherein a pair of tube sheets secure each end of the hollow fiber bundle within the cylindrical vessel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gas separation membrane module according to claim 1, wherein said fixture has at least one fixing rod coupling said capping members, and each capping member has a through-hole into which said fixing rod is inserted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The gas separation membrane module according to claim 1, wherein said capping members are mounted such that said capping members cover the end of said cylindrical vessel and each of said sealing members is an elastic ring member configured to be disposed between the periphery of said cartridge and the inner circumference of said capping member.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The gas separation membrane module according to claim 3, wherein said elastic ring member is to be held in the inner circumference of one of said capping members and is configured to remain in the side of said capping member when said cartridge is removed from said capping member for replacement.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The gas separation membrane module according to claim 1, wherein
said tube sheets are for separating the inside of said cylindrical vessel from the outside,
an inner groove is formed in a region within said cylindrical vessel and facing said tube sheets, and
a part of said tube sheets engage with said inner groove.