# US 5,580,452 A · Moving liquid membrane modules > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,580,452 A - Document ID: US5580452A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/349,051 - Filed: 1994-12-02 - Granted: 1996-12-03 - Earliest claimed: 1994-12-02 - Assignees: LSR Technologies - Inventors: ZhenWu Lin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5580452A ## CPC - B01D 61/28: Apparatus therefor - B01D 53/229: {Integrated processes (Diffusion and at least one other process, e.g. adsorption, absorption)} - B01D 61/38: Liquid-membrane separation - B01D 63/10: Spiral-wound membrane modules - B01D 2319/06: Use of membranes of different materials or properties within one module - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract The present invention relates to an improved design for a moving liquid membrane module. In one embodiment, the tubular or hollow fiber module, at least one tubular or hollow fiber element is contained within a housing. This element comprises an inner tubular membrane and an outer tubular membrane. The element comprises a first tubular membrane located within a second tubular membrane of larger diameter. The membrane liquid is continuously passed through annular gap between the two tubular membranes. The feed fluid is continuously passed through the lumen of the inner tubular membrane and the purge or strip fluid is continuously passed over the outer surface of the outer tubular membrane. In a second embodiment, the spiral wound moving liquid membrane module, a spiral wound cartridge is incorporated into a housing. The cartridge is formed by wrapping at least one permeant depletion channel, one permeant enrichment channel and one membrane liquid channel around a core tube. The permeant enrichment and depletion channels are sealed by adhesives and the fluids flowing therein may be counter-current or cocurrent with respect to each other. Membrane liquid is continuously passed between the permeant depletion and enrichment channels which are wound around the core tube, thereby, creating a counter-current or cocurrent flows between the membrane liquids and the liquids flowing in the permeant depletion and enrichment channels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module for separating a permeant from a feed fluid mixture, said module comprising: a housing, said housing adapted to contain a spiral wound moving liquid membrane cartridge, said cartridge comprising a core tube having a first and a second end, a feed fluid channel wrapped around said core tube, a purge fluid channel wrapped around said core tube, and a membrane fluid channel wrapped around said core tube between said purge fluid channel and said feed fluid channel; at least two ports extending from each end of said core tube, one of said ports on each end of said core tube being a feed fluid port in fluid communication with said feed fluid channel, and one of said ports on each end of said core tube being a purge fluid port in fluid communication with said purge fluid channel; a membrane liquid intake port connected to said housing into a membrane liquid intake manifold, said membrane liquid intake manifold being between said housing and a first end of said cartridge, and being in fluid communication with said membrane fluid channel; and at least one pump or compressor connected at least one of said purge fluid ports, at least one of said feed fluid ports, and said membrane liquid intake port, said at least one pump or compressor being adapted to provide independent and simultaneous flowing of a purge fluid through said purge fluid channel, a feed fluid through said feed fluid channel, and a membrane liquid into said membrane liquid channel through said membrane liquid intake manifold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module according to claim 1, said module further comprising at least one pump or condenser connected to one of said purge fluid ports for drawing said permeant out of said module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module according to claim 1, said module further comprising at least one combination of a pump and a condenser connected to one of said purge fluid ports for drawing said permeant out of said module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module according to claim 1, said module further comprising: a membrane liquid outlet port connected to said housing into a membrane liquid outlet manifold, said membrane liquid outlet manifold being defined by a space between said housing and said second end of said core tube and being in fluid communication with said membrane fluid channel. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module according to claim 1, said module further comprising: a first end seal located on a first end of said cartridge, said first end seal extending between the housing and the exterior surface of said cartridge, said membrane liquid intake manifold being defined by a space between said first end seal and a first end of said housing; a second end seal located on a second end of said cartridge, said second end seal extending between said housing and the exterior surface of said cartridge; and a space between said second end seal and a second end of said housing, said space defining a membrane liquid outlet manifold for removing said membrane liquid from said module through a membrane liquid outlet port. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module according to claim 1, said module further comprising at least two pressure regulators, one of said pressure regulators connected between the membrane fluid channel and the purge fluid channel, and the other of said pressure regulators connected between the membrane fluid channel and the feed fluid channel for controlling a differential pressure between the feed fluid and the membrane liquid, and between the membrane liquid and the purge fluid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module according to claim 1, wherein said core tube is formed from solid rod stock and comprises a purge fluid tube and a feed fluid tube formed integrally therein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module according to claim 1, wherein said core tube comprises a core tube template with a purge fluid tube and a feed fluid tube extending therethrough. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module according to claim 1, wherein said core tube comprises a core tube template with two or more independent purge fluid tubes and an equal number of independent feed fluid tubes inserted therein in a circumferentially alternating fashion, and wherein purge and feed fluid channels in communication with said independent purge and feed fluid tubes, respectively, are wrapped around said core with screen spacers between said purge and feed fluid channels to form said membrane fluid channel between each purge fluid channel and feed fluid channel. ### Claim 10 A spiral wound moving liquid membrane module separating a permeant from a feed fluid mixture, said module comprising: a housing, said housing adapted to contain a spiral wound moving liquid membrane cartridge, said cartridge comprising a core tube having a first and a second end, a feed fluid channel wrapped around said core tube, a purge fluid channel wrapped around said core tube, and a membrane fluid channel wrapped around said core tube between said purge fluid channel and said feed fluid channel; at least two tubular fluid ports extending from a first end of the housing to first end of the core tube, and at least two tubular fluid ports extending from a second end of the housing to the second end of the core tube, at least one of said ports at each end of the housing being a feed fluid port in fluid communication with the feed fluid channel, and the other of said ports on each end of the housing being purge fluid ports in fluid communication with the purge fluid channel; a membrane liquid intake port connected to said housing at a first end of said cartridge; at least one pump or compressor connected to at least one of said purge fluid ports, at least one of said feed fluid ports, and said membrane liquid intake port, said at least one pump or compressor for providing independent and simultaneous flowing of a purge fluid through said purge fluid channel, a feed fluid through said feed fluid channel, and a membrane liquid through said membrane liquid channel; an end seal located on an end of said cartridge, said end seal extending between said housing and an exterior surface of said cartridge; and an antitelescoping device fixed to said end seal for preventing cartridge from telescoping under force of independent and simultaneous flowing of said membrane liquid and said purge and feed fluids.