Oxygen separation assembly and method

A tubular membrane element for electrically driven oxygen separation, said tubular membrane element comprising:

• an anode layer;
• a cathode layer;
• an electrolyte layer located between the anode layer and the cathode layer;
• two current collector layers located adjacent to and in contact with the anode layer and the cathode layer and situated on the inside and outside of the tubular membrane element to allow an electrical potential to be applied by a power source to induce oxygen ion transport through the electrolyte layer from the cathode layer to the anode layer;
• end seals located at opposite ends of the tubular membrane element, each of the end seals comprising a plug-like member located within the tubular membrane element and formed by an elastomer to produce a hermetic seal and means for retaining the plug-like member within the tubular membrane element;
• at least one sealed electrical feed-through penetrating at least one of the end seals
• a set of electrical conductors passing through the at least one sealed electrical feed-through and in electrical contact with one of the two current collector layers situated on the inside of the tubular membrane element and connected to the other of the two current collector layers situated on the outside of the tubular membrane element;
• and
• an outlet tube penetrating the one of the end seals or the other of the end seals to allow oxygen to be discharged from the tubular membrane element.