Woven membrane module with controlled tubesheet epoxy wicking
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorsTao Li, Edgar S. Sanders, Jr., Michael D. Bennett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas separation membrane module is formed from a woven fabric of weft membrane hollow fibers and warp yarns. The membrane module includes an active hollow fiber region spanning the inner edges of the two tubesheets. The membrane module also includes two tubesheets formed by encapsulating membrane fiber on one or both ends. The tubesheet on the end includes a first sub-region adjacent the active fiber and a second sub-region extending from first sub-region to the outer face of the tubesheet. The spacing of the warp threads is relatively denser in the first sub-region than in the active region or the second sub-region.
Claims10
A gas separation membrane module for separation of a gas mixture, comprising:
- a core tube having an axis;
- a fabric spirally wrapped around the core tube, the fabric comprising weft hollow fibers that are semi-permeable to the gas mixture and also warp threads, the weft hollow fibers extending in a direction parallel to the core axis, the warp threads spiraling in a direction perpendicular to the weft hollow fibers;
- first and second tubesheets disposed at and impregnating opposite axial ends of the wrapped fabric, the tubesheets being comprised of thermoset or thermoplastic resin;
- an active region being a first section of the fabric extending between the first and second tubesheets;
- each second section of the fabric impregnated by one of the tubesheets comprising a first sub-region adjacent the active region and a second sub-region extending from the associated first sub-region to the associated axial end of the fabric, the warp threads being spaced more densely in each first sub-region than in each second sub-regions and the active region;
- first and second end caps secured to a pressure vessel to completely encase the outer ends of the first and second tubesheets, at least one of the end caps including at least one first orifice for introduction or withdrawal of a gas;
- the pressure vessel encasing the first and second tubesheets, surrounding at least the active region and including at least one second orifice for introduction or withdrawal of a gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.