Liquid membrane separation of enantiomers
AssigneeFacilichem, Inc.
InventorAbhoyjit Singh Bhown
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is related to a method for separating enantiomers in a supported liquid membrane module by contacting the liquid membrane which may contain a carrier and a phase transfer agent with a feed fluid containing a racemic mixture whereby an enantiomer is transported into the liquid membrane and thereafter contacting the liquid membrane with a sweep fluid whereby an enantiomer is transported from the liquid membrane into the sweep fluid. The enantiomer is then recovered from the sweep fluid. The liquid membrane module is constructed in such a way that the feed fluid and the sweep fluid are adjacent to, but on opposite sides of, the liquid membrane and the feed and sweep fluids have a substantially continuous interfacial contact along the length of the liquid membrane.
Claims32
A method of separating enantiomers in a supported liquid membrane module containing at least one tubular liquid membrane element which includes a first tubular membrane located within a second tubular membrane with an annular gap defined between the first tubular membrane and the second tubular membrane such that the liquid membrane is contained in said annular gap and said tubular membranes contain pores;
- said supported liquid membrane module comprises a liquid membrane, a feed fluid containing a racemic mixture and a sweep fluid which contains the separated enantiomer, such that said feed fluid and said sweep fluid are adjacent to, but on opposite sides of, said liquid membrane and the feed fluid and the sweep fluid have a substantially continuous interfacial contact along the length of the liquid membrane, said method comprising:
- a) contacting liquid membrane with said feed fluid;
- b) transporting preferentially one enantiomer from the feed fluid into the liquid membrane;
- c) contacting liquid membrane with said sweep fluid;
- d) transporting said preferential enantiomer from the liquid membrane into the sweep fluid;
- and
- e) recovering the transported preferential enantiomer from the sweep fluid.
A method of separating enantiomers in a liquid membrane module, said method comprising passing a fluid containing said enantiomers through a module containing:
- a) a housing which encloses the liquid membrane module;
- b) at least one supported membrane element that includes two tubular or hollow fiber membranes of different diameters such that said tube or hollow fiber with the smaller diameter is located within the tubular or hollow fiber with the larger diameter;
- c) a membrane liquid inlet at one end of the module through which the membrane liquid enters the module and fills the gap between the hollow fiber with the smaller diameter and the hollow fiber of the larger diameter and a membrane liquid outlet through which said membrane liquid exits the module;
- d) a feed fluid inlet at one end of the module through which the feed fluid containing enantiomers enters the module so that the feed fluid circulates through the hollow fiber with the smaller diameter, and a feed fluid outlet through which said feed fluid exits the module;
- e) an entry port in said housing through which a sweep fluid which is a solvent for preferential enantiomers passing through the hollow fiber with the larger diameter and enters the module and flows along the outer surfaces of the liquid membrane receiving an enantiomer and exits through the exit port in said housing;
- and
- f) isolating the enantiomer from the sweep fluid;
- wherein the feed fluid and the sweep fluid are adjacent to, but on opposite sides of the liquid membrane and the feed and sweep fluids have a substantially continuous interfacial contact along the length of the liquid membrane.
A method of separating enantiomers in a supported liquid membrane module containing at least one tubular liquid membrane element which includes a first tubular membrane located within a second tubular membrane with an annular gap defined between the first tubular membrane and the second tubular membrane such that the liquid membrane is contained in said annular gap and said tubular membranes contain pores;
- said supported liquid membrane module comprises a liquid membrane, a feed fluid containing enantiomers and a sweep fluid which contains the separated enantiomer, such that said feed fluid and said sweep fluid are adjacent to, but on opposite sides of, said liquid membrane and the feed fluid and the sweep fluid have a substantially continuous interfacial contact along the length of the liquid membrane, said method comprising:
- a) contacting liquid membrane with said feed fluid;
- b) transporting preferentially one enantiomer from the feed fluid into the liquid membrane;
- c) contacting liquid membrane with said sweep fluid;
- d) transporting said preferential enantiomer from the liquid membrane into the sweep fluid;
- and
- e) recovering the transported preferential enantiomer from the sweep fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.