US 5,096,584 AGranted

Spiral-wound membrane separation device with feed and permeate/sweep fluid flow control

AssigneeThe Dow Chemical Company

InventorsDamoder Reddy, Keith Denslow

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a spiral-wound membrane module having a semi-permeable membrane which has a central high pressure premeatae region flanked on opposite sides by two lower pressure edge portions. The edge portions facilitate the dispersion of and the collection of the feed fluid being treated and assist in obtaining a more uniform flow of the feed fluid through the high pressure region of the membrane. In one embodiment, the module has entrance and exit flow means for a counter-current flow of a sweep fluid through the permeate. Preferably, the high pressure permeate region is a high density porous spacer flanked on two sides with low density porous spacers. In one embodiment, the higher pressure permeate region and flanking low pressure drop permeate regions are obtained by specifically positioned lines of adhesive or glue spots (or lines) having a specific size and spacing. Generally the spots (or lines) are positioned in a generally axial configuration to the central pipe. Generally, the glue spots or lines are positioned in the permeate passageway in a pattern to obtain controlled flow of the countercurrent, cocurrent, or crosscurrent sweep fluid.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A spiral wound membrane module having a semipermeable membrane for use in a housing in the separation of a fluid permeate from a fluid feed mixture, said module comprising

a centrally located hollow pipe,
at least one unsealed membrane envelope enclosing means to provide substantially uniform flow in the feed passageway,
at least one fluid feed spacer, and
at least one permeate spacer means for providing substantially uniform flow of the permeate in the permeate passageway, wherein said permeate passageway includes,
flow control means for enabling crosscurrent, countercurrent or cocurrent sweep fluid flow in the permeate passageway,
said generally hollow pipe having a wall barrier intermediate in its length dividing the pipe into a first compartment and a second compartment, said pipe having means for collecting a fluid permeate stream from the first compartment of said pipe and means for collecting and removing the permeate fluid stream from the second compartment of the pipe, said first and second pipe compartments each having at least one radial opening through the pipe circumference through which permeate fluid will pass,
said porous sheet permeate spacer means are in fluid communication with the radial fluid openings of the first and second pipe compartments,
said at least one membrane envelope comprises a sheet membrane creating a feed passageway having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface wherein the membrane is folded at least once or sealed so that first one-half of the first surface of the membrane layer faces the other one-half of the first surface of the membrane envelope and interposed between the first and second surfaces of the first membrane is said porous sheet fluid feed spacer means,
said permeate passageway for the fluid permeate is formed by the adjacent membrane surfaces opposite to the first surface, wherein the adjacent surfaces opposite to the first surface are sealingly adhered to each other having spacer means in the permeate passageway between the adjacent membrane envelope surfaces opposite the first surface,
means for removal of permeate fluid from the permeate fluid passageway to the exterior of the module, and
means for restraining the unspiraling of the compact module roll under operational conditions.

8 more elements

. A membrane separation device which device comprises:

(a) a housing adapted to contain a spiral-wound membrane separation module, the housing being essentially sealed to the environment and having an interior surface,
(b) a spiral-wound membrane module positioned within the housing to define a generally annular clearance space between the exterior surface of the spiral-wound module and the interior wall of the housing, the spiral-wound membrane module being designed to separate the fluid feed stream into a permeate stream and a concentrate stream,
(c) means to completely seal the annular clearance space between the exterior surface of the module and the interior surface of the housing creating a first chamber and a second chamber,
(d) mean to introduce a feed stream to the spiral-wound membrane module in said first chamber means to withdraw a concentrate stream from said second chamber, and
(e) means to withdraw a permeate stream, wherein said spiral wound membrane module comprises:
a centrally located hollow pipe,
at least one unsealed membrane envelope enclosing,
at least one porous fluid feed spacer means to provide substantially uniform flow in the feed passageway, and at least one permeate spacer means to provide substantially uniform flow in the permeate passageway, wherein said permeate passageway includes
means for enabling crosscurrent, countercurrent or cocurrent fluid sweep flow in a permeate passageway,
said generally hollow pipe having a wall barrier intermediate in its length dividing the pipe into a first compartment and a second compartment, said pipe having means for removing a fluid permeate stream from the first compartment of said pipe and means for removing a fluid permeate stream from the second compartment of the pipe, said first and second pipe compartments each having at least one radial opening through the pipe circumference through which permeate fluid will pass,
said porous sheet feed spacer means being in fluid communication with the radial fluid openings of the first and second pipe compartments,
said at least one membrane envelope comprising a sheet membrane creating a feed passageway having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface wherein the membrane is folded once so that first one-half of the first surface of the membrane layer faces the other half of the first surface of the membrane envelope and interposed between the first and second surfaces of the membrane is said porous sheet fluid feed spacer means,
said permeate passageway for the fluid permeate which is formed by sealing the edges of adjacent membrane surfaces opposite to the first surface, having a porous spacer in the permeate passageway between the adjacent membrane envelope surfaces opposite the first surface,
means for removal of permeate fluid from the second fluid passageway to the exterior of the module, and
means for restraining the unspiraling of the compact module roll under operational conditions.

12 more elements

A membrane process for the removal of water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof, from a feed fluid comprising a feed fluid and water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof, which process comprises:

A. contacting the feed fluid mixture comprising at least one fluid with a membrane separation module with the higher pressure side of a semi-permeable membrane having a higher pressure side and a lower pressure side, wherein said semi-permeable membrane is selectively permeable;
and the separation module comprises:
a spiral wound membrane having a semipermeable membrane for use in a housing in the separation of a fluid permeate from a fluid feed mixture, said module comprising
a centrally located hollow pipe,
at least one unsealed membrane envelope enclosing means to provide substantially uniform flow in the feed passageway,
at least one fluid feed spacer, and
at least one permeate spacer means for providing substantially uniform flow of the permeate in the permeate passageway, wherein said permeate passageway includes,
flow control means for enabling crosscurrent, countercurrent or cocurrent sweep fluid flow in the permeate passageway,
said generally hollow pipe having a wall barrier intermediate in its length dividing the pipe into a first compartment and a second compartment, said pipe having means for collecting a fluid permeate stream from the first compartment of said pipe and means for collecting and removing the permeate fluid stream from the second compartment of the pipe, said first and second pipe compartments each having at least one radial opening through the pipe circumference through which permeate fluid will pass,
said porous sheet permeate spacer means are in fluid communication with the radial fluid openings of the first and second pipe compartments,
said at least one membrane envelope comprises a sheet membrane creating a feed passageway having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface wherein the membrane is folded at least once or sealed so that first one-half of the first surface of the membrane layer faces the other one-half of the first surface of the membrane envelope and interposed between the first and second surfaces of the first membrane is said porous sheet fluid feed spacer means,
said permeate passageway for the fluid permeated is formed by the adjacent membrane surfaces opposite to the first surface, wherein the adjacent surfaces opposite to the first surface are sealingly adhered to each other having spacer means in the permeate passageway between the adjacent membrane envelope surfaces opposite the first surface,
means for removal of permeate fluid from the permeate fluid passageway to the exterior of the module, and
means for restraining the unspiraling of the compact module roll under operational conditions;
B. maintaining a vapor partial pressure differential across said membrane under conditions such that at least one fluid selected from water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof selectively permeates through said membrane from said higher pressure side to said lower pressure side of the membrane;
C. contacting said lower pressure side of said membrane with a sweep fluid, at a sufficient volumetric flowrate relative to said feed fluid mixture, whereby compounds in said feed fluid mixture selectively permeates through said semi-permeable membrane and into said sweep fluid;
D. collecting said sweep fluid containing the at least one permeated fluid selected from water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof;
and
E. collecting the concentrated feed fluid depleted of water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof.

16 more elements

A process for the removal of water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof from natural gas feed, which process comprises:

A. contacting with the natural gas feed fluid mixture comprising at least one gas with a separation membrane module with the higher pressure side of a semi-permeable membrane having a higher pressure side and a lower pressure side, wherein said semi-permeable membrane is selectively permeable;
and
the separation module comprises a membrane separation device which comprises:
(a) a housing adapted to contain a spiral-wound membrane separation module, the housing being essentially sealed to the environment and having an interior surface,
(b) a spiral-wound membrane module positioned within the housing to define a generally annular clearance space between the exterior surface of the spiral-wound module and the interior wall of the housing, the spiral-wound membrane module being designed to separate the fluid feed stream into a permeate stream and a concentrate stream,
(c) means to completely seal the annular clearance space between the exterior surface of the module and the interior surface of the housing creating a first chamber and a second chamber,
(d) means to introduce a feed stream to the spiral-wound membrane module in said first chamber means to withdraw a concentrate stream from said second chamber means to withdraw a concentrate stream from said second chamber, and
(e) means to withdraw a permeate stream,
wherein said spiral wound membrane module comprises:
a centrally located hollow pipe,
at least one unsealed membrane envelope enclosing,
at least one porous fluid feed spacer means to provide substantially uniform flow in the feed passageway, and at least one permeate spacer means to provide substantially uniform flow in the permeate passageway, wherein said permeate passageway includes
means for enabling crosscurrent, countercurrent or cocurrent fluid sweep flow in the permeate passageway,
said generally hollow pipe having a wall barrier intermediate in its length dividing the pipe into a first compartment and a second compartment, said pipe having means for removing a fluid permeate stream from the first compartment of said pipe and means for removing a fluid permeate stream from the second compartment of the pipe, said first and second pipe compartments each having at least one radial opening through the pipe circumference through which permeates fluid will pass,
said porous sheet feed spacer means being in fluid communication with the radial fluid openings of the first and second pipe compartments,
said at least one membrane envelope comprising a sheet membrane creating a feed passageway having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface wherein the membrane is folded once so that first one-half of the first surface of the membrane layer faces the other half of the first surface of the membrane envelope and interposed between the first and second surfaces of the membrane is said porous sheet fluid feed spacer means,
said permeate passageway for the fluid permeate which is formed by sealing the edges of adjacent membrane surfaces opposite to the first surface, having a porous spacer in the permeate passageway between the adjacent membrane envelope surfaces opposite the first surface,
means for removal of permeate fluid from the second fluid passageway to the exterior of the module, and
means for restraining the unspiraling of the compact module roll under operational conditions;
B. maintaining a vapor partial pressure differential across said membrane under conditions such that at least one fluid selected from water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof selectively permeates through said membrane from said higher pressure side to said lower pressure side of the membrane;
C. contacting said lower pressure side of said membrane with a sweep fluid, at a sufficient volumetric flowrate relative to said feed fluid mixture, whereby compounds in said feed gas mixture selectively permeates through said semi-permeable membrane and into said sweep gas;
D. collecting said sweep gas containing permeated components selected from water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof;
and
E. collecting the concentrated feed natural gas depleted of water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof.

21 more elements

A process for the removal of a volatile organic fluid or a fluid from a fluid feed mixture comprising a volatile organic fluid or a fluid, which process comprises:

A. contacting with the fluid feed mixture comprising at least one volatile organic fluid with a membrane separation module, having a high pressure side of a semi-permeable membrane having a higher pressure side and a lower pressure side, wherein said semi-permeable membrane is selectively permeable;
and
the module comprises a membrane separation device which comprises:
(a) a housing adapted to contain a spiral-wound membrane separation module, the housing being essentially sealed to the environment and having an interior surface,
(b) a spiral-wound membrane module positioned within the housing to define a generally annular clearance space between the exterior surface of the spiral-wound module and the interior wall of the housing, the spiral-wound membrane module being designed to separate the fluid feed stream into a permeate stream and a concentrate steam,
(c) means to completely seal the annular clearance space between the exterior surface of the module and the interior surface of the housing creating a first chamber and a second chamber,
(d) means to introduce a feed stream to the spiral-wound membrane module in said first chamber means to withdraw a concentrate stream from said second chamber, and
(e) means to withdraw a permeate stream,
wherein said spiral wound membrane module comprises:
a centrally located hollow pipe,
at least one unsealed membrane envelope enclosing,
at least one porous fluid feed spacer means to provide substantially uniform flow in the feed passageway, and at least one permeate spacer means to provide substantially uniform flow in the permeate passageway, wherein said permeate passageway includes
means for enabling crosscurrent, countercurrent or cocurrent fluid sweep flow in a permeate passageway,
said generally hollow pipe having a wall barrier intermediate in its length dividing the pipe into a first compartment and a second compartment, said pipe having means for removing a fluid permeate stream from the first compartment of said pipe and means for removing a fluid permeate stream from the second compartment of the pipe, said first and second pipe compartments each having at least one radial opening through the pipe circumference through which permeate fluid will pass,
said porous sheet feed spacer means being in fluid communication with the radial fluid openings of the first and second pipe compartments,
said at least one membrane envelope comprising a sheet membrane creating a feed passageway having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface wherein the membrane is folded once so that first one-half of the first surface of the membrane layer faces the other half of the first surface of the membrane envelope and interposed between the first and second surfaces of the membrane is said porous sheet fluid feed spacer means,
said permeate passageway for the fluid permeate which is formed by sealing the edges of adjacent membrane surfaces opposite to the first surface, having a porous spacer in the permeate passageway between the adjacent membrane envelope surfaces opposite the first surface,
means for removal of permeate fluid from the second fluid passageway to the exterior of the module, and
means for restraining the unspiraling of the compact module roll under operational conditions;
B. maintaining a vapor partial pressure differential across said membrane under conditions such that at least one component of the feed fluid selectively permeates through said membrane from said higher pressure side to said lower pressure side of the membrane;
C. contacting said lower pressure side of said membrane with a sweep fluid, at a sufficient volumetric flowrate relative to said feed fluid mixture, whereby compounds in said feed fluid mixture selectively permeates through said semi-permeable membrane and into said sweep fluid;
D. collecting said sweep fluid containing permeated components;
and
E. collecting the concentrated feed fluid depleted of organic volatile fluid, a fluid or mixtures thereof.

21 more elements

A process of facilitated transport removal of water carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof from a natural gas feed, which process comprises:

A. contacting with the feed natural gas mixture with a membrane separation module, the higher pressure side of a semipermeable membrane having a higher pressure side and a lower pressure side, wherein said semi-permeable membrane is selectively permeable;
and
the separation module comprises a membrane separation device, which comprises:
(a) a housing adapted to contain a spiral-wound membrane separation module, the housing being essentially sealed to the environment and having an interior surface,
(b) a spiral-wound membrane module positioned within the housing to define a generally annular clearance space between the exterior surface of the spiral-wound module and the interior wall of the housing, the spiral-wound membrane module being designed to separate the fluid feed stream into a permeate stream and a concentrate steam,
(c) means to completely seal the annular clearance space between the exterior surface of the module and the interior surface of the housing creating a first chamber and a second chamber,
(d) means to introduce a feed stream to the spiral-wound membrane module in said first chamber means to withdraw a concentrate stream from said second chamber, and
(e) means to withdraw a permeate stream,
wherein said spiral wound membrane module comprises:
a centrally located hollow pipe,
at least one unsealed membrane envelope enclosing,
at least one porous fluid feed spacer means to provide substantially uniform flow in the feed passageway, and at least one permeate spacer means to provide substantially uniform flow in the permeate passageway, wherein said permeate passageway includes
means for enabling crosscurrent, countercurrent or cocurrent fluid sweep flow in a permeate passageway,
said generally hollow pipe having a wall barrier intermediate in its length dividing the pipe into a first compartment and a second compartment, said pipe having means for removing a fluid permeate stream from the first compartment of said pipe and means for removing a fluid permeate stream from the second compartment of the pipe, said first and second pipe compartments each having at least one radial opening through the pipe circumference through which permeate fluid will pass,
said porous sheet feed spacer means being in fluid communication with the radial fluid openings of the first and second pipe compartments,
said at least one membrane envelope comprising a sheet membrane creating a feed passageway having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface wherein the membrane is folded once so that first one-half of the first surface of the membrane layer faces the other half of the first surface of the membrane envelope and interposed between the first and second surfaces of the membrane is said porous sheet fluid feed spacer means,
said permeate passageway for the fluid permeate which is formed by sealing the edges of adjacent membrane surfaces opposite to the first surface, having a porous spacer in the permeate passageway between the adjacent membrane envelope surfaces opposite the first surface,
means for removal of permeate fluid from the second fluid passageway to the exterior of the module, and
means for restraining the unspiraling of the compact module roll under operational conditions;
B. maintaining a vapor partial pressure differential across said membrane under conditions such that at least one fluid thereof selectively permeates through said membrane from said higher pressure side to said lower pressure side of the membrane;
C. contacting said lower pressure side of said membrane with a sweep fluid, at a sufficient volumetric flowrate relative to said feed natural gas mixture, whereby compounds in said feed natural gas mixture selectively permeates through said semi-permeable membrane and into said sweep fluid;
D. collecting said sweep fluid containing at least one permeated component;
and
E. collecting the effluent feed natural gas depleted of water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide or mixtures thereof.

21 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/585,230Filed 19 Sep 1990 · continuation in part
Priority: 29 Jan 1990
Granted: 17 Mar 1992
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B01D 63/103
Spiral-wound membrane modules: details relating to membrane envelopes
B01D 53/22
Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g.…: by…
B01D 63/1031
Details relating to membrane envelopes: glue line or sealing patterns
B01D 63/107
Spiral-wound membrane modules: specific properties of the central tube or the permeate channel