Hollow fiber permeator apparatus
AssigneeMonsanto Company
InventorsDuane E. King, Billy J. Harris, Donald L. MacLean, Tommy E. Graham
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The performance of axially-fed permeators containing a plurality of selectively permeable hollow fibers suitable for the selective permeation of at least one fluid in a fluid mixture containing at least one other component, wherein the hollow fibers are positioned in the permeator to form an elongated bundle of hollow fibers, is enhanced by the use of means to longitudinally compact the bundle.
Claims22
A permeator for separating by the selective permeation of at least one fluid from a fluid mixture containing at least one other component comprising an elongated, fluid impermeable shell having at least one end adapted to receive a tube sheet;
- a plurality of selectively permeable hollow fibers, said hollow fibers having an exterior surface and a bore and said hollow fibers being generally parallelly positioned within the shell to form an elongated bundle of hollow fibers;
- at least one tube sheet, said tube sheet being in fluid tight relationship with said shell wherein at least one end of each of said hollow fibers is embedded in a fluid tight relationship in said at least one tube sheet and wherein said bores of said hollow fibers communicate through said tube sheet;
- at least one fluid ingress port communicating through said shell and at least one longitudinally distant fluid egress port communicating through said shell, said ingress and egress ports being in communication with the exterior surface of the hollow fibers and adapted to provide axial flow of fluid in said shell;
- and means for longitudinally compacting said bundle of hollow fibers whereby said bundle is sufficiently longitudinally compacted to enhance the efficiency of separation.
The permeator of claim 11 or 7 in which the means for longitudinally compacting the bundle comprises the use of a short length of shell which requires longitudinal compacting the bundle.
A permeator for separating by the selective permeation of at least one fluid from a fluid mixture containing at least one other component comprising an elongated, fluid impermeable shell having at least one end adapted to receive a tube sheet wherein said elongated shell is in a generally vertical position;
- a plurality of selectively permeable hollow fibers, said hollow fibers having an exterior surface and a bore and said hollow fibers being generally parallelly positioned within the shell to form an elongated bundle of hollow fibers;
- a tube sheet, said tube sheet being in fluid tight relationship with said shell wherein at least one end of each of said hollow fibers is embedded in a fluid tight relationship in said tube sheet, wherein said bores of said hollow fibers communicate through said tube sheet, and wherein said bundle extends above said tube sheet;
- a weight on the end of said bundle opposite said tube sheet whereby said bundle is sufficiently longitudinally compacted by the force of gravity to enhance the efficiency of separation;
- at least one fluid ingress port communicating through said shell and at least one longitudinally distant fluid egress port communicating through said shell, said ingress and egress ports being in communication with the exterior surface of the hollow fibers and adapted to provide axial flow of fluid in said shell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.