Gas separation membrane module with hollow fiber carbon molecular sieve membranes

A counter-current flow CMS membrane module, comprising:

• a hollow, cylindrical pressure vessel having first and second open ends, an open feed port formed therein at a position closer to the second pressure vessel end than the first pressure vessel end;
• a retentate end cap covering and attached to the first open end of the pressure vessel, the retentate end cap having an open retentate port formed therein;
• a permeate end cap covering and attached to the second open end of the pressure vessel, the permeate end cap having an open permeate port formed therein;
• a hollow cylindrical shell having first and second ends and being concentrically disposed within the pressure vessel;
• a plurality of hollow fiber CMS membranes enclosed by the shell extending at least from the first end of the shell to the second end of the shell;
• a cylindrical retentate tubesheet of a material, that includes a cured polymer, that encapsulates portions of the CMS membranes that are adjacent the first end of the shell and is contiguous with at least portions of an inner circumferential surface of the shell adjacent the first end to form a gas-tight seal in between the retentate tubesheet and the shell, the retentate tubesheet closing off open ends of the CMS membranes adjacent the first end of the shell;
• a retentate seal means disposed between an inner surface of the pressure vessel and an outer circumferential surface of the shell closer to the first end thereof than the second end thereof;
• a cylindrical permeate tubesheet of a material, that includes a cured polymer, that encapsulates portions of the CMS membranes that are adjacent the second end of the shell and is which contiguous with at least portions of an inner circumferential surface of the shell adjacent the second end, the permeate tubesheet having being machined away at a downstream face thereof adjacent the second end cap so as to expose open ends of the CMS membranes thereat;
• a porous support disposed between the permeate end cap and the machined away face of the permeate tubesheet;
• a permeate seal means disposed between an inner surface of the pressure vessel and an outer circumferential surface of the permeate tubesheet, wherein:
• one or more openings are formed in the shell between the first and second seals to form a feed fluid inlet;
• and
• one or more openings are formed in the shell between the retentate seal and the retentate tubesheet to form a retentate outlet.