# US 2014/0150287 A1 · Method of drying material by membrane dehumidified air > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150287 A1 - Document ID: US20140150287A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/131,565 - Filed: 2012-07-13 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-14 - Assignees: Dow Corning Corporation - Inventors: Dongchan Ahn; James S. Hrabal; Aaron J. Greiner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150287A1 ## CPC - F26B 21/33: Humidity - B01D 53/268: {by diffusion} - F26B 2200/06: Grains, e.g. cereals, wheat, rice, corn - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) - 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 Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of drying a feed gas mixture. The method includes contacting a first side of one or more membranes with a feed gas mixture. The feed gas mixture includes at least water and a second gas component. Contacting the first side of the one or more membranes with the feed gas mixture produces a permeate gas mixture on a second side of the one or more membranes and a retentate gas mixture on the first side of the one or more membranes. The permeate gas mixture is enriched in water, and the retentate mixture is depleted in water. The one or more membranes have a H2O vapor permeability coefficient of at least about 25,000 Barrer at room temperature. Various embodiments of the present invention relate to a method of drying a material. The method includes contacting a material with the retentate gas mixture, to provide a dried material. Various embodiments also relate to membranes useful for performing the drying method, devices or machines that can perform the drying method, and materials dried by the drying method. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of drying a feed gas mixture, the method comprising: contacting a first side of one or more membranes with a feed gas mixture comprising at least water and a second gas component to produce a permeate gas mixture on a second side of the one or more membranes and a retentate gas mixture on the first side of the one or more membranes, wherein the permeate gas mixture is enriched in water, and the retentate gas mixture is depleted in water, wherein the one or more membranes have an H2O vapor permeability coefficient of at least about 25,000 Barrer at room temperature. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method of drying a material, comprising the method of claim 1, further comprising contacting a material with the retentate gas mixture, to provide a dried material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second gas component is ambient air. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the retentate gas mixture has a lower concentration of water than the feed gas mixture. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the material comprises at least one of crops, grains, foodstuffs, coal, particles, powders, tobacco, wood, lumber, chemicals, sand, plaster, wastewater sludge, paint, coatings, varnishes, inks, produce, meats, gas, textiles, clothing, and furniture. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more membranes comprise a polysiloxane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more membranes comprise a cured product of an organo silicon composition, wherein the curing comprises hydrosilylation curing, condensation curing, free-radical curing, epoxy-amine curing, radiation curing, evaporative curing, or cooling. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more membranes have a thickness of from about 0.1 to about 200 lμm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more membranes are independently selected from a plate membrane, a spiral wound membrane, tubular membrane, and hollow fiber membrane. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein any one or more of the one or more membranes independently comprise an unsupported membrane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein any one or more of the one or more membranes independently comprise a free-standing hollow fiber. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein any one or more of the one or more membranes independently further comprise one or more substrates, wherein the any one or more of the one or more substrates are porous substrates or non-porous highly permeable substrates, wherein the any one or more of the one or more membranes comprise supported membranes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising pressurizing the feed stream or reducing the pressure of the feed stream. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising treating the feed stream with at least one pre-filter to remove particulates. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising purging the permeate stream with a sweep gas. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising using the retentate gas mixture for air conditioning or refrigeration. ### Claim 17 A method of drying corn, grain, or foodstuffs, the method comprising: contacting a first side of one or more membranes with a feed gas mixture comprising at least water and air to produce a permeate gas mixture on a second side of the one or more membranes and a retentate gas mixture on the first side of the one or more membranes, wherein the permeate gas mixture is enriched in water, and the retentate gas mixture is depleted in water, wherein the one or more membranes have an H2O vapor permeability coefficient of at least 25,000 Barrer at room temperature and a total surface area of at least 300 m2; and contacting corn, grain, or foodstuffs with the retentate gas mixture, to provide a dried corn, dried grain, or dried foodstuffs. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein any one or more of the one or more substrates independently comprises one or more frits comprising a material selected from glass, ceramic, alumina, and a porous polymer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein any one or more of the one or more substrates independently comprises a plurality of fibers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein any one or more of the one or more substrates comprises a filter.