Spiral wound membrane module for gas separation with protection layer

A process for separating a feed gas comprising a polar gas and a non-polar gas into a permeate gas and a retentate gas, one of which is enriched in the polar gas and the other of which is depleted in the polar gas, the process comprising passing the feed gas through a gas separation module comprising:

• (i) a feed carrier comprising a membrane envelope and a feed spacer located within the membrane envelope;
• and
• (ii) a permeate carrier comprising:
• (a) a macroporous sheet;
• and
• (b) a protective sheet;
• and
• wherein:
• i) the feed gas is fed along the feed spacer of the feed carrier and a part of the feed gas passes through the membrane envelope and into the permeate carrier to give the permeate gas and a part of the feed gas is rejected by the membrane envelope to give the retentate gas;
• ii) the protective sheet shields at least a part of the membrane envelope from contact with the macroporous sheet;
• iii) the protective sheet comprises a non-woven material, and
• iv) the macroporous sheet has a wale side orientation facing the membrane envelope.