Gas Separation Modules and Methods for Forming

A gas separation module comprising:

• an external shell having at least one inlet port and a plurality of outlet ports;
• a plurality of hollow fiber membranes within the external shell, individual fibers having a feed end and a product end with a retentate interior side and a permeate exterior side between the feed end and the product end;
• a feed tubesheet within the external shell securing the feed end of the fibers and segregating the at least one inlet port and the permeate side of the fibers;
• the feed tubesheet including a matrix and a plurality of segment joints, the matrix containing an adhesive or a resin or both, the matrix encapsulating the feed end of the fibers, and the segment joints containing a compliance material different from the matrix and separating a plurality of segments of the feed tubesheet from one another;
• a plurality of facesheets sealing respective segment joints from the matrix;
• and
• a rim containing the matrix around the feed tubesheet.

A gas separation module formation method comprising:

• positioning a hollow fiber membrane material in association with at least one tubesheet segment joint;
• applying a matrix to the hollow fiber membrane material and to the segment joint and curing the matrix, the at least one tubesheet segment joint containing a compliance material different from the matrix;
• forming a feed tubesheet from the cured matrix and the at least one tubesheet segment joint;
• and
• forming a plurality of hollow fiber membranes from the hollow fiber membrane material, individual fibers having a feed end and a product end, the cured matrix encapsulating the feed end of the fibers, the feed tubesheet securing the feed end of the fibers, and the at least one tubesheet segment joint separating a plurality of segments of the feed tubesheet from one another.

A gas separation module formation method comprising:

• positioning a hollow fiber membrane material in association with at least one tubesheet segment joint;
• applying a matrix to the hollow fiber membrane material and to the at least one tubesheet segment joint, the matrix containing an adhesive or a resin or both and the at least one tubesheet segment joint containing a compliance material different from the matrix;
• placing the at least one tubesheet segment joint, a portion of the hollow fiber membrane material, and the matrix in a mold;
• applying pressure to the hollow fiber membrane material and the at least one tubesheet segment joint in a radial direction;
• while applying the pressure and additionally applying heat, curing the matrix in the mold;
• machining the cured matrix and the hollow fiber membrane material;
• forming a feed tubesheet from the machined, cured matrix and the at least one tubesheet segment joint;
• forming a plurality of hollow fiber membranes from the hollow fiber membrane material, individual fibers having a feed end and a product end, and opening the feed end of the fibers, the cured matrix encapsulating the feed end of the fibers, the feed tubesheet securing the feed end of the fibers, and the at least one tubesheet segment joint separating a plurality of segments of the feed tubesheet from one another;
• and
• forming a rim containing the matrix around the feed tubesheet.