Capillary mass transfer device

A capillary mass transfer device comprising a group of capillary tubes, said group of tubes including a plurality of tubes arrranged in side by side and generally stacked relation with said tubes defining a general plane, means for defining a fluid passage surrounding said tubes, first flow means for directing a first fluid into and through said tubes, and second flow means for directing a second fluid through said first flow means into and through said fluid passage, said means defining a fluid passage including a pair of wall defining members extending generally coextensive with said tubes in the direction of tube length and lying in planes disposed generally parallel to said general plane of the tubes, said wall defining members being spaced with respect to one another transversely of said tubes and disposed on opposite sides of the general plane of said tubes with said tubes being disposed therebetween, said wall defining members further having end portions in the direction of tube length disposed beyond each end of said tubes, means fixedly securing end portions of said tubes relative to said wall defining members and in sealed relation to said wall defining members, and said second flow means including flow passage defining members positioned between said end portions of said wall defining members and extending generally parallel to the general plane of said tubes, each flow passage defining member having inner and outer end portions with each inner end portion being sealed relative to exteriors of said tube end portions and forming part of said means defining a fluid passage, said flow passage defining members having flow passages therethrough opening into said fluid passage.