# US 11,077,405 B2 · Module for gas separation, and gas separation method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,077,405 B2 - Document ID: US11077405B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/080,692 - Filed: 2017-03-03 - Published: 2019-03-14 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-04 - Assignees: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Asahi Kasei Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Masato Mikawa; Yasutaka Kurishita; Azusa Yamanaka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11077405B2 ## CPC - B01D 63/022: {Encapsulating hollow fibres} - B01D 69/142: {with "carriers"} - 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 53/229: {Integrated processes (Diffusion and at least one other process, e.g. adsorption, absorption)} - B01D 53/268: {by diffusion} - B01D 61/00: Processes of separation using semi-permeable membranes, e.g. dialysis, osmosis or ultrafiltration; Apparatus, accessories or auxiliary operations specially adapted therefor (separation of gases or vapours by diffusion B01D53/22) - B01D 61/38: Liquid-membrane separation - B01D 63/00: Apparatus in general for separation processes using semi-permeable membranes - B01D 63/02: Hollow fibre modules - B01D 69/00: Semi-permeable membranes for separation processes or apparatus characterised by their form, structure or properties; Manufacturing processes specially adapted therefor - B01D 69/10: Supported membranes; Membrane supports - B01D 69/12: Composite membranes; Ultra-thin membranes - B01D 71/34: Polyvinylidene fluoride - B01D 71/68: Polysulfones; Polyethersulfones - B01D 2257/104: Oxygen - B01D 2257/504: Carbon dioxide - 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 Module for gas separation that maintains moisture retention of a gas separation active layer at a uniform level has a composite hollow-fiber membrane configured as the interior of an exterior body and has a porous hollow-fiber support body and a gas separation active layer disposed on the surface of the hollow-fiber support body. The exterior body has a supply port and a discharge port for a first gas passing through the outer side of the composite hollow-fiber membrane, and a supply port and a discharge port for a second gas passing through the inner side of the composite hollow-fiber membrane. The first gas flows through a first space enclosed by the exterior body and the outer side of the composite hollow-fiber membrane and the second gas flows through a second space separated by the composite hollow-fiber membrane and the exterior body. The first space is filled with an absorbing solution. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A module for gas separation having a gas separation membrane disposed in an interior of an exterior body, wherein the module has a first space enclosed by an outer side of the gas separation membrane and the exterior body and a second space on an inner side of the gas separation membrane, the first space and second space being separated by the gas separation membrane, and the first space is filled with an absorbing solution selected from the group consisting of water, and liquids or ionic liquids including at least one compound selected from the group consisting of amines, amino acids, carbonates, silver salts and copper salts, and wherein the module has a draft tube between the exterior body and the gas separation membrane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The module for gas separation according to claim 1, wherein the gas separation membrane is a hollow fiber membrane having a porous hollow fiber support and a gas separation active layer situated on a surface of the hollow fiber support. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The module for gas separation according to claim 1, wherein the exterior body has a supply port and a discharge port for a first gas that passes through the first space, and a supply port and a discharge port for a second gas that passes through the second space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The module for gas separation according to claim 2, wherein the hollow fiber membrane is a composite hollow fiber membrane having a porous hollow fiber support and a gas separation active layer situated on the surface of the hollow fiber support. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The module for gas separation according to claim 3, wherein the first gas is a mixed gas including the gas component to be separated, and the second gas is a feed gas that is to recover the separated gas. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The module for gas separation according to claim 1, wherein moisture is present in the second space. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The module for gas separation according to claim 6, wherein a moisture content is 0.1% or higher and 5.0% or lower. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The module for gas separation according to claim 3, wherein the discharge port and supply port for the first gas are connected. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The module for gas separation according to claim 8, wherein the absorbing solution circulates through the discharge port and supply port for the first gas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The module for gas separation according to claim 2, wherein the gas separation active layer is composed mainly of a polymer gel, and the thickness of the layer is 10 nm or greater and 10 μm or smaller. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The module for gas separation according to claim 10, wherein the polymer gel is chitosan. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The module for gas separation according to claim 2, wherein the porous hollow fiber support is composed mainly of polyethersulfone or polyvinylidene fluoride. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The module for gas separation according to claim 2, wherein the module has partitions that adhesively anchor both ends of the hollow fiber membrane to the exterior body while separating the first space and the second space, the partitions being made of an epoxy resin obtained by curing a composition containing a compound with an epoxy group as the base compound and a compound with an acid anhydride group as a curing agent. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The module for gas separation according to claim 1, wherein the absorbing solution includes an aqueous solution including at least one metal salt selected from the group consisting of silver salts and copper salts, and the gas separation layer also contains the same metal salt as the absorbing solution. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The module for gas separation according to claim 1, wherein a percentage of the first space occupied by the absorbing solution is 5 to 99 vol %. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The module for gas separation according to claim 14, wherein the silver salt or copper salt in the absorbing solution filling the first space is 5 wt % to 90 wt % with respect to the total weight of the water. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The module for gas separation according to claim 1, wherein pressure conditions in the first space are 0.1 to 2.5 MPaG. ### Claim 18 (depends on 3) The module for gas separation according to claim 3, wherein a moisture content of the second gas is 0.1 to 99%. ### Claim 19 (depends on 3) The module for gas separation according to claim 3, wherein a content of inert gas in the second gas is 0.1 to 99%. ### Claim 20 (depends on 5) A gas separation method in which a module for gas separation according to claim 5 is used to separate the gas to be separated from the mixed gas, the method being carried out under conditions in which a partial pressure of the gas to be separated in the first gas is higher than a partial pressure of the gas to be separated in the second gas. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A gas separation method in which moisture in a gas separated by the gas separation method according to claim 20 is separated by dehydrating equipment. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The gas separation method according to claim 20, wherein the first gas is an olefin and/or carbon dioxide. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The gas separation method according to claim 22, wherein the olefin contains any one of ethylene, propylene, isobutene, butene or butadiene. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The gas separation method according to claim 22, wherein the olefin is a bio-olefin. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The gas separation method according to claim 21, wherein, after separation of moisture by the dehydrating equipment, the separated gas has a content of olefin of 99.99% or greater, and a content of paraffin of 0.1 to 100 ppm. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The gas separation method according to claim 20, which produces olefin gas having a propane content of 0.1 to 50 ppm and a purity of 99.995% or greater. ### Claim 27 An olefin gas having a propane content of 0.1 to 50 ppm and a purity of 99.995% or greater. ### Claim 28 An olefin gas having an oxygen content of 0.1 to 5 ppm and a purity of 99.995% or greater. ### Claim 29 An olefin gas having a carbon dioxide content of 0.1 to 5 ppm and a purity of 99.995% or greater. ### Claim 30 (depends on 22) The gas separation method according to claim 22, wherein the olefin is produced from a fermentation gas.