Gas separation membrane module for reactive gas service

An acid gas-service gas separation membrane module, comprising:

• a hollow pressure vessel open at first and second ends made of carbon steel or a low alloy steel, the pressure vessel having a first end face at said first end and a second end face at said second end;
• a first end cap made of carbon steel or a low alloy steel sealing said first end of said pressure vessel at said first end face, said first end cap including a feed gas port formed therein;
• a second end cap made of carbon steel or a low alloy steel sealing said second end of said pressure vessel at said second end face, said second end cap including a residue port formed therein, said pressure vessel having a permeate port formed therein;
• a plurality of gas separation membranes disposed within the pressure vessel arranged as a bundle, the plurality of membranes being encased in a solid polymer at end of the bundle in sealing fashion to provide first and second tubesheets, each of said membranes having a first side and a second side, each of said membranes being adapted and configured to separate an acid gas-containing feed gas fed to a first side thereof through permeation of gases through the membrane to a second side thereof so as to provide a lower pressure permeate gas on the second side and a higher pressure residue gas on the first side, the permeate gas being enriched in one or more gases compared to the residue gas;
• a feed gas port tube made of a high alloy steel fluidly communicating between the feed gas port and one of the membranes' first sides and the membranes' second sides;
• a residue port tube made of a high alloy steel fluidly communicating between the residue port and the other of the membranes' first sides and the membranes' second sides;
• and
• at least two compressible sealing elements comprising first and second compressible sealing elements, wherein:
• said first compressible sealing element is compressed between an inner surface of the pressure vessel adjacent the first tubesheet and an outer surface of the first tubesheet, said pressure vessel inner surface being provided with a corrosion-resistant cladding;
• said second compressible sealing element being compressed between an inner surface of the pressure vessel adjacent the second tubesheet and an outer surface of the second tubesheet, the pressure vessel inner surface being provided with a corrosion-resistant cladding.