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US 5,411,662 AGranted
Fluid separation assembly having an purge control valve
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorsPatrick S. Nicolas, Jr., Benjamin Bikson, Salvatore Giglia, David R. Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention relates to a hollow fiber membrane fluid separation assembly having an integral purge control valve or a purge fluid reflux system, which provides a sweep fluid port internal to the assembly. This assembly is useful for, among other things, separating water vapor from a gas stream.
Claims12
A fluid separation assembly comprising:
- (a) an elongated inner core member;
- (b) a hollow fiber membrane bundle having permeate and non-permeate sides at least partially surrounding a length of said elongated inner core member;
- (c) an integral purge control valve having a valve body defining at least one passageway communicating with the non-permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle with one end of said at least one passageway terminating with at least one non-permeate exit port and defining at least one sweep fluid port communicating with said at least one passageway and said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle so that said at least one sweep fluid port is capable of passing at least a portion of a non-permeate stream in said at least one passageway to said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle, and a fluid flow controlling means for adjusting or specifying the flow of a non-permeate stream into said at least one sweep fluid port from said at least one passageway;
- and
- (d) a shell containing at least one fluid feed entrance port and at least one permeate exit port surrounding said hollow fiber membrane with at least one end of said shell accommodating said integral purge control valve, wherein said non-permeate side is outside of the hollow fiber membrane and said permeate side is inside of the hollow fiber membrane.
2 more elements
A fluid separation assembly comprising:
- (a) an elongated inner tube;
- (b) a hollow fiber membrane bundle having permeate and non-permeate sides at least partially surrounding a length of said elongated inner core member;
- (c) at least two tubesheets encapsulating both ends of said hollow fiber, with one end of said elongated inner tube opening out of one of the tubesheets to permit the flow of fluid in and out of the tube;
- (d) a reflux system attached to one of said tubesheets, said reflux system having a body surrounding said one of said tubesheets, said body defining at least one passageway communicating with the non-permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle with one end of said at least one passageway terminating with at least one non-permeate exit port and defining at least one sweep fluid port or chamber in fluid communication with said at least one passageway through at least one orifice and in fluid communication with said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle so that said at least one sweep fluid port or chamber is capable of passing at least a portion of a non-permeate stream in said at least one passageway to said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle;
- and
- (e) a shell surrounding both said hollow fiber membrane bundle and reflux system, with both ends of said shell closed by closing means defining a permeate outlet, fluid feed inlet and/or a non-permeate outlet in fluid communication said at least one passageway, wherein said non-permeate side is outside of the hollow fiber membrane and said permeate side is inside of the hollow fiber membrane.
3 more elements
A fluid separation assembly comprising:
- (a) an elongated inner core member;
- (b) a hollow fiber membrane bundle having permeate and non-permeate sides at least partially surrounding a length of said elongated inner core member;
- (c) an integral purge control valve having a valve body defining at least one passageway communicating with the non-permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle with one end of said at least one passageway terminating with at least one non-permeate exit port and defining at least one sweep fluid port communicating with said at least one passageway and said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle so that said at least one sweep fluid port is capable of passing at least a portion of a non-permeate stream in said at least one passageway to said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle, and a fluid flow restrictor for passing a particular amount of a non-permeate stream into said at least one sweep fluid port from said at least one passageway;
- and
- (d) a shell containing at least one fluid feed entrance port and at least one permeate exit port surrounding said hollow fiber membrane with at least one end of said shell accommodating said integral purge control valve, wherein said non-permeate side is outside of the hollow fiber membrane and said permeate side is inside of he hollow fiber membrane.
2 more elements
A fluid separation assembly comprising:
- (a) an elongated inner core member;
- (b) a hollow fiber membrane bundle having permeate and non-permeate sides at least partially surrounding a length of said elongated inner core member;
- (c) an integral purge control valve having a valve body defining at least one passageway communicating with the non-permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle with one end of said at least one passageway terminating with at least one non-permeate exit port and defining at least one sweep fluid port communicating with said at least one passageway and said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle so that said at least one sweep fluid port is capable of passing at least a portion of a non-permeate stream in said at least one passageway to said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle, and a fluid flow controlling means for adjusting or specifying the flow of a non-permeate stream into said at least one sweep fluid port from said at least one passageway;
- and
- (d) a shell containing at least one fluid feed entrance port and at least one permeate exit port surrounding said hollow fiber membrane with at least one end of said shell accommodating said integral purge control valve, wherein said non-permeate side is inside of the hollow fiber membrane and said permeate side is outside of the hollow fiber membrane.
2 more elements
A fluid separation assembly comprising:
- (a) an elongated inner tube;
- (b) a hollow fiber membrane bundle having permeate and non-permeate sides at least partially surrounding a length of said elongated inner core member;
- (c) at least two tubesheets encapsulating both ends of said hollow fiber, with one end of said elongated inner tube opening out of one of the tubesheets to permit the flow of fluid in and out of the tube;
- (d) a reflux system attached to one of said tubesheets, said reflux system having a body surrounding said one of said tubesheets, said body defining at least one passageway communicating with the non-permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle with one end of said at least one passageway terminating with at least one non-permeate exit port and defining at least one sweep fluid port or chamber in fluid communication with said at least one passageway through at least one orifice and in fluid communication with said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle so that said at least one sweep fluid port or chamber is capable of passing at least a portion of a non-permeate stream in said at least one passageway to said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle;
- and
- (e) a shell surrounding both said hollow fiber membrane bundle and reflux system, with both ends of said shell closed by closing means defining a permeate outlet, fluid feed inlet and/or a non-permeate outlet in fluid communication said at least one passageway, wherein said non-permeate side is inside of the hollow fiber membrane and said permeate side is outside of the hollow fiber membrane.
3 more elements
A fluid separation assembly comprising:
- (a) an elongated inner core member;
- (b) a hollow fiber membrane bundle having permeate and non-permeate sides at least partially surrounding a length of said elongated inner core member;
- (c) an integral purge control valve having a valve body defining at least one passageway communicating with the non-permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle with one end of said at least one passageway terminating with at least one non-permeate exit port and defining at least one sweep fluid port communicating with said at least one passageway and said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle so that said at least one sweep fluid port is capable of passing at least a portion of a non-permeate stream in said at least one passageway to said permeate side of said hollow fiber membrane bundle, and a fluid flow restrictor for passing a particular amount of a non-permeate stream into said at least one sweep fluid port from said at least one passageway;
- and
- (d) a shell containing at least one fluid feed entrance port and at least one permeate exit port surrounding said hollow fiber membrane with at least one end of said shell accommodating said integral purge control valve, wherein said non-permeate side is inside of the hollow fiber membrane and said permeate side is outside of the hollow fiber membrane.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.