Apparatus and method for separating fluids through a membrane

• US 20030075495A1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kvaerner Process Systems AS (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kvaerner Process Systems AS (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Olay, Falk-Pedersen, Stuksrud, Dag Birger, Dannstrom, Henrik, Ronning, Odd, Gronvold, Marianne Soby
• Granted Patent: US 6,926,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/321.88
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/14 Specific spacers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/22 by diffusion manufacturing semi-permeable membranes B01D67/00; form, structure or properties of semi-permeable membranes B01D69/00; material for semi-permeable membranes B01D71/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/28 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/30 Accessories; Auxiliary operation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/02 Hollow fibre modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/069 comprising a bundle of tubular membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/00 Accessories or auxiliary operations, in general, for separation processes or apparatus using semi-permeable membranes

Abstract

Apparatus for contacting first and second fluids at elevated pressures with a membrane such that one or more components of one of the fluids passes through the membrane into the other fluid, comprising a housing e.g. a pressure vessel (4), and a membrane module (20) housed in the pressure vessel and having a first fluid inlet (8a) and a first fluid outlet (8b) and a second fluid inlet (9a) and a second fluid outlet (9b), wherein a seal (61) extends round the membrane module and seals between an outside wall of the membrane module and an inside wall of the pressure vessel so as to separate the first fluid inlet from the first fluid outlet.

Claims

1. Apparatus for contacting first and second fluids at elevated pressures with a membrane such that one or more components of one of the fluids passes through the membrane into the other fluid, comprising a housing, and a membrane module housed in the housing and having a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet and a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet, wherein a seal extends round the membrane module and seals between an outside wall of the membrane module and an inside wall of the housing so as to separate the first fluid inlet from the first fluid outlet.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pair of second seals each extending round the membrane module and sealing between the outside wall of the membrane module and the inside wall of the housing, the second seals being axially spaced from the first-mentioned seal and on opposite axial sides thereof.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the membrane module has at least one lateral opening in its outside wall to from the first fluid inlet and at least one lateral opening in its outside wall to form the first fluid outlet.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the second fluid inlet and outlet are disposed at opposite axial ends of the membrane module, and the first fluid inlet and outlet are disposed axially inwardly of said opposite axial ends.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the membrane module has a cross-sectional shape corresponding substantially to that of the housing so as to fit closely therein.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the housing has at least one full diameter flanged opening for insertion of the membrane module.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the first-mentioned seal is received in a groove in the housing.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the groove is provided in a separate member secured to two body portions of the housing to form a connection therebetween.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the membrane module comprises a plurality of membrane layers, each membrane layer comprising a plurality of membrane tubes arranged side by side with connecting portions connecting laterally adjacent membrane tubes, and the membrane layers being stacked in alternation with spacers.

10. Membrane contactor apparatus comprising a bundle of axially extending membrane tubes arranged for a first fluid to flow outside of said tubes and for a second fluid to flow axially inside said tubes from an axial end of the bundle to an opposite axial end thereof, such that one or more components of one of the fluids passes through walls of the membrane tubes into the other fluid, the apparatus further comprising inlet means disposed axially inwardly of one of said axial ends of the bundle for introducing said first fluid into the bundle, wherein the inlet means extends peripherally round the bundle and is arranged to permit flow of said first fluid laterally into the bundle substantially around its entire periphery.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the inlet means comprises a plurality of-circumferentially spaced inlet openings in the periphery of the bundle.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the membrane tubes are arranged in a plurality of layers extending laterally across the bundle, and wherein each membrane layer is exposed to at least one of said inlet openings.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein at least two rows of circumferentially spaced inlet openings are provided in the periphery of the bundle, with the centres of inlet openings in adjacent rows being circumferentially offset.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the bundle is housed in a housing having an inlet port for the first fluid, and wherein an inlet chamber is arranged to receive the first fluid from the inlet port and extends round the periphery of the bundle.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein the width of the inlet chamber, measured between an inside wall of the housing and the periphery of the bundle, is greater than or equal to one quarter of the width of the inlet port.

16. Apparatus as claimed n any of claims 10 to 15, wherein the first fluid is arranged to flow outside of said membrane tubes in the axial direction.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first and second fluid flows are in axial directions opposite to each other.