Polymeric membrane for heat exchange applications and method of fabrication thereof

A method of making a thermally conductive polymeric hollow fiber membrane comprising:

• preparing a polymer solution comprising a polymeric material and a solvent for the polymeric material at a predetermined temperature;
• introducing a thermally conductive filler to the polymer solution to form a dope;
• extruding the dope to form the thermally conductive polymeric hollow fiber membrane by
• contacting an external surface of the dope with a coating fluid;
• contacting an internal lumen surface of the dope with a lumen forming fluid;
• and
• inducing a phase separation in the dope to form the thermally conductive polymeric hollow fiber membrane.

A heat exchanger system comprising:

• a membrane module comprising a plurality of hollow fiber polymeric membranes, the plurality of hollow fiber polymeric membranes comprising a polymeric material and a thermally conductive filler dispersed in the polymeric membrane, the polymeric membrane having a porosity of up to about 15 percent;
• a first manifold fluidly connecting a source of a first fluid to at least one lumen of the plurality of hollow fiber polymeric membranes;
• a second manifold fluidly connecting a source of a second fluid to a shell surrounding the plurality of hollow fiber membranes;
• a first exit port fluidly connected to the source of the first fluid;
• and
• a second exit port fluidly connected to the source of the second fluid.