Flexibly adaptable membrane cartridges for the separation of fluids
AssigneeEvonik Operations GmbH
InventorsTymen Visser, Steven K. Pedersen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to novel cartridges and modules for separation of fluid mixtures, especially for gas separation, to a process for production thereof and to a method of use thereof.
Claims20
A cartridge for separating a fluid mixture, said cartridge comprising a membrane element and a sealing element that is selected for its ability to connect with a module housing of a fluid separation module;
- wherein the membrane element comprises:
- hollow-fibre membranes or spiral wound flat-sheet membranes having a front end and a rear end at opposite sides;
- a front closure at said front end;
- a rear closure at said rear end;
- and
- optionally a barrier which is impermeable to the fluid mixture to be separated and is arranged around the membranes in the region between said front closure and said rear closure;
- and wherein the sealing element is an independent element of the cartridge, separate from the membrane element, and comprises two parts, of which:
- one part is a seal which, after installation of the cartridge into the module housing of a fluid separation module, tightly adjoins the inner wall of the module housing;
- and
- a further part is a carrier element which bears the seal and which is reversibly fixed to the front closure and/or to the rear closure of the membrane element in a manner such that disconnection does not cause destruction of the membrane element and that permits the cartridge thereby formed to connect to the module housing of the fluid separation module;
- and
- wherein the membrane element can be used in separation system housings of different geometries by changing only the sealing element.
A cartridge for separating a fluid mixture, said cartridge comprising a membrane element and a sealing element that is selected for its ability to connect with a housing of a fluid separation module;
- wherein the membrane element comprises:
- hollow-fibre membranes having a front end and a rear end at opposite sides;
- a front closure at said front end;
- a rear closure at said rear end;
- and wherein the sealing element is an independent element of the cartridge, separate from the membrane element, and comprises two parts, of which:
- one part is a seal which, after installation of the cartridge into the housing of a fluid separation module, tightly adjoins the inner wall of the module housing;
- and
- a further part is a carrier element which bears the seal and which is reversibly fixed to the front closure and/or to the rear closure of the membrane element in a manner such that disconnection does not compromise the internal sealing between the feed and permeate of the membrane element and that permits the cartridge thereby formed to connect to the housing of the separation system in a fluid tight manner;
- and
- wherein the membrane element can be used in separation system housings of different geometries by changing only the sealing element.
A cartridge for separating a fluid mixture, said cartridge comprising a membrane element and a sealing element that is selected for its ability to connect with a housing of a fluid separation module;
- wherein the membrane element comprises:
- spiral wound flat-sheet membranes having a front end and a rear end at opposite sides;
- a front closure at said front end;
- a rear closure at said rear end;
- and
- a barrier which is impermeable to the fluid mixture to be separated and is arranged around the membranes in the region between said front closure and said rear closure;
- and wherein the sealing element is an independent element of the cartridge, separate from the membrane element, and comprises two parts, of which:
- one part is a seal which, after installation of the cartridge into the housing of a fluid separation module, tightly adjoins the inner wall of the module housing;
- and
- a further part is a carrier element which bears the seal and which is reversibly fixed to the front closure and/or to the rear closure of the membrane element in a manner such that disconnection does not compromise the internal sealing between the feed and permeate of the membrane element, and that permits the cartridge thereby formed to connect to the housing of the separation system in a fluid tight manner;
- and
- wherein the membrane element can be used in separation system housings of different geometries by changing only the sealing element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.