# US 2013/0153498 A1 · Membrane separation apparatus and membrane separation method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153498 A1 - Document ID: US20130153498A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/809,445 - Filed: 2011-07-29 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-05 - Assignees: Nippon Steel & Sumkin Engineering Co., Ltd.; The University of Tokyo - Inventors: Takafumi Kiuchi; Ryohta Hidaka; Yoichi Ishibashi; Yasuki Kansha; Atsushi Tsutsumi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153498A1 ## CPC - B01D 61/362: {Pervaporation} - B01D 61/368: {Accessories; Auxiliary operations} - B01D 2313/221: Heat exchangers - B01D 2313/24: Specific pressurizing or depressurizing means - B01D 2313/246: Energy recovery means - 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 [Problem] To provide a membrane separation apparatus and a membrane separation method capable of reducing energy consumption, [Solution] A membrane separation apparatus (10) includes: a membrane separator (20) supplied with a fluid (X) containing a component (A) and a component (R) and separating the fluid (X) into a fluid (Y) having a higher concentration of the component (A) than the fluid (X) and a fluid (Z) having a lower concentration, of the component (A) than the fluid (X) by using a separation membrane; a first compressor (21) adiabatically compressing the fluid (Y); a first heat exchanger (11) to which the fluid (Y) adiabatically compressed by the first compressor (21) is introduced as a heat source; and a second heat exchanger (12) to which the fluid (Z) is introduced as a heat source. The fluid (X) is divided and conveyed by first and second supply lines (31, 32), the divided fluids (X) are heated by the first and second heat exchangers (11, 12), respectively, then merged and supplied to the membrane separator (20). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A membrane separation apparatus, comprising: a membrane separator supplied with a fluid X containing a component A and a component B and separating the fluid X into a fluid Y having a higher concentration of the component A than the fluid X and a fluid Z having a lower concentration of the component A than the fluid X by using a separation membrane; a first compressor adiabatically compressing the fluid Y exiting from the membrane separator; a first heat exchanger to which the fluid Y adiabatically compressed by the first compressor is introduced as a heat source; and a second heat exchanger to which the fluid Z is introduced as a heat source, wherein the fluid X is divided and conveyed by a first supply line and a second supply line, and the fluids X conveyed by the first and second supply lines are heated by the first and second heat exchangers, respectively, then merged again and supplied to the membrane separator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second compressor between the membrane separator and the second heat exchanger, the second compressor adiabatically compressing the fluid Z exiting from the membrane separator, and wherein the fluid Z adiabatically compressed by the second compressor is introduced into the second heat exchanger. ### Claim 3 A membrane separation apparatus, comprising: a membrane separator supplied with a fluid X containing a component A and a component B and separating the fluid X into a fluid Y having a higher concentration of the component A than the fluid X and a fluid Z having a lower concentration of the component A than the fluid X by using a separation membrane; a second compressor adiabatically compressing the fluid Z exiting from the membrane separator; a first heat exchanger to which the fluid Y exiting from the membrane separator is introduced as a heat source; and a second heat exchanger to which the fluid Z adiabatically compressed by the second compressor is introduced as a heat source, wherein the fluid X is divided and conveyed by a first supply line and a second supply line, and the fluids X conveyed by the first and second supply lines are heated by the first and second heat exchangers, respectively, then merged again at a merging point where the first supply line and the second supply line are merged, adiabatically compressed by a third compressor provided between the merging point and the membrane separator, and supplied to the membrane separator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an expander between the membrane separator and the first heat exchanger. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a first valve adjusting a flow rate of the fluid X flowing through the first supply line; and a control device operating the first valve, and wherein If a temperature difference ΔT2 between the fluid X heated by the second heat exchanger and the fluid Z to be introduced into the second heat exchanger as a heat source is equal to or greater than a reference value TS2, the control device adjusts a degree of opening in the first valve on the basis of a difference between the temperature difference ΔT2 and the reference value TS2 so as to control an amount of heat to be exchanged at the second heat exchanger. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a second valve adjusting a flow rate of the fluid X flowing through the second supply line, and wherein If a temperature difference ΔT1 between the fluid X heated by the first heat exchanger and the fluid Y to be introduced into the first heat exchanger as a heat source is equal to or greater than a reference value TS1, the control device adjusts a degree of opening in the second valve on the basis of a difference between the temperature difference ΔT1 and the reference value TS1 so as to control an amount of heat to be exchanged at the first heat exchanger. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the reference values TS1 and TS2 each are in a range between 2 and 50° C. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an inverter driving the second compressor, and wherein the inverter controls a number of rotations in the second compressor so that a pressure of the fluid Z exiting from the membrane separator falls within a predetermined range. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a third heat exchanger between the membrane separator and a merging point where the first supply line and the second supply line are merged, the third heat exchanger adjusting a temperature of the fluid X by an external heat source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising, between the merging point and the third compressor, a superheater employing, as a heat source, the fluid X compressed by the third compressor and heating the fluid X merged at the merging point; and a cooler adjusting a temperature of the fluid X heated by the superheater, and wherein the fluid X to enter into the third compressor is subjected to temperature adjustment by the cooler after being heated by the superheater. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 10, comprising a bypass line capable of connecting between an inlet side of the superheater for a fluid to be heated and an outlet side thereof for a heating fluid for heating the fluid to be heated, and wherein upon start-up of the membrane separation apparatus, the inlet side and the outlet side are connected by the bypass line so that air or an inert gas is circulated between the superheater and the third compressor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a heater between the membrane separator and the second heat exchanger, the heater employing an external vapor as a heat source, and wherein the fluid Z is subjected to a temperature increase and a pressure increase by the heater and the fluid Z having been subjected to the temperature increase and the pressure increase is introduced into the second heat exchanger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the fluid Y and the fluid Z is a gas, and the separation membrane is a zeolite membrane or a polyimide membrane. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The membrane separation apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the component A is ethanol, and the component B is water. ### Claim 15 A membrane separation method, comprising: a step α of separating a fluid X containing a component A and a component B into a fluid Y having a higher concentration of the component A than the fluid X and a fluid Z having a lower concentration of the component A than the fluid X by using a membrane separator; and a step β of subjecting the fluid Y separated by the step α to a temperature increase and a pressure increase, wherein the fluid X is divided and conveyed by a first supply line and a second supply line, and the fluids X conveyed by the first and second supply lines are heated by heat exchanges with the fluid Y having been subjected to the temperature increase and the pressure increase in the step β and the fluid Z exiting from the membrane separator, then merged again, and supplied to the membrane separator. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The membrane separation method according to claim 15, further comprising a step γ of subjecting the fluid Z exiting from the membrane separator to a temperature increase and a pressure increase, and wherein the fluid X divided into the second supply line is heated by heat exchange with the fluid Z having been subjected to the temperature increase and the pressure increase. ### Claim 17 A membrane separation method, comprising: a step α of separating a fluid X containing a component A and a component B into a fluid Y having a higher concentration of the component A than the fluid X and a fluid Z having a lower concentration of the component A than the fluid X by using a membrane separator; a step ε of expanding the fluid Y separated by the step α; and a step γ of subjecting the fluid Z separated by the step α to a temperature increase and a pressure increase, wherein the fluid X is divided and conveyed by a first supply line and a second supply line, and the fluids X conveyed by the first and second supply lines are heated by heat exchanges with the fluid Y having been expanded by the step ε and the fluid Z having been subjected to the temperature increase and the pressure increase by the step γ, respectively, then merged again, adiabatically compressed, and supplied to the membrane separator.