Energy recovery ventilation sulfonated block copolymer laminate membrane

• US 9,429,366 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kraton Polymers US LLC (DL Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kraton Polymers US LLC (DL Holdings Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dubois, Donn
• Primary Examiner(s): Jules, Frantz
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROJOHN III, CLAIRE E
• Application Number:
  US12/893,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20120073791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,162 Days
• Field of Search: 165/138, 165/166, 165/167, 165/159, 96/9, 96/11, 96/12
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/228 characterised by specific membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0002 Organic membrane manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/12 Composite membranes; Ultra-thin membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/1213 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/26 Polyalkenes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/261 Polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/28 Polymers of vinyl aromatic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/281 Polystyrene
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/80 Block polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/82 characterised by the presence of specified groups, e.g. introduced by chemical after-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/40 Symmetrical or sandwich layers, e.g. ABA, ABCBA, ABCCBA
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/42 Alternating layers, e.g. ABAB(C), AABBAABB(C)
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0284 Polyethylene terephthalate [PET] or polybutylene terephthalate [PBT]
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2270/00 Resin or rubber layer containing a blend of at least two different polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7242 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/00 Layered products comprising a layer of synthetic resin fibrous or filamentary layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/02; particulate layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/16; foamed layer made of a synthetic resin B32B5/18
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/28 comprising synthetic resins not wholly covered by any one of the sub-groups B32B27/30 - B32B27/42
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/302 comprising aromatic vinyl (co)polymers, e.g. styrenic (co)polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/085 spaced apart pieces on the surface of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/28 : characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet , i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane, e.g. corrugated, crumpled B32B29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2810/50 : wherein the polymer is a copolymer and the modification is taking place only on one or more of the monomers present in minority
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 297/046 : polymerising vinyl aromatic monomers and isoprene, optionally with other conjugated dienes
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/04 : Reduction, e.g. hydrogenation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 8/36 : Sulfonation; Sulfation
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 12/006 : using an air-to-air heat exchanger F24F12/002 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2003/1435 : comprising semi-permeable membrane
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 21/0015 : Heat and mass exchangers, e.g. with permeable walls
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0025 : the conduits being formed by zig-zag bend plates
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0062 : the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by spaced plates with inserted elements F28D9/0012, F28D9/0025, F28D9/0081, F28D9/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/56 : Heat recovery units
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/10 : Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/50 : Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals

Abstract

A core unit for an energy recovery system for exchanging heat and vapor between two independent intake and exhaust airstreams without intermixing thereof, the core unit having a fibrous microporous support substrate and a sulfonated block copolymer having at least one end block A and at least one interior block B wherein each A block contains essentially no sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups and each B block is a polymer block containing from about 10 to about 100 mol percent sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups based on the number of monomer units, and wherein the sulfonated block copolymer is laminated on the microporous support substrate.

Claims

1. A laminate membrane for a core in an energy recovery system for the exchange of heat and moisture between air streams passing through said system, said membrane comprising:

a fibrous microporous support substrate,

a film comprising a sulfonated block copolymer having at least one end block A and at least one interior block B wherein each A block contains essentially no sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups and each B block is a polymer block containing from about 10 to about 100 mol percent sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups based on the number of monomer units,

wherein the film is laminated on the microporous support substrate whereby said film is bonded to the microporous support.

2. The membrane of claim 1, further comprising a spacer element interposed between said membrane and a second membrane, said spacer and said membrane forming a layer in said core.

3. The membrane of claim 2, wherein said core has a plurality of said layers stacked one upon the other.

4. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the microporous substrate is a fibrous woven or non-woven material.

5. The membrane of claim 4, wherein the microporous substrate is selected from the group consisting of carbon, fiberglass, polyester, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose, cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene.

6. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said sulfonated block copolymer is heat laminated, solvent laminated or adhesive laminated onto the microporous support substrate.

7. The membrane of claim 1, wherein said film comprises a blend of said sulfonated block copolymer with hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated thermoplastic elastomeric styrenic block copolymers, or mixtures thereof.

8. The membrane of claim 1 wherein each A block comprises one or more segments selected from polymerized (i) para-substituted styrene monomers, (ii) ethylene, (iii) alpha olefins of 3 to 18 carbon atoms;

(iv) 1,3-cyclodiene monomers, (v) monomers of conjugated dienes having a vinyl content less than 35 mol percent prior to hydrogenation, (vi) acrylic esters, (vii) methacrylic esters, and (viii) mixtures thereof.

9. The membrane of claim 1 wherein each B block comprises segments of one or more vinyl aromatic monomers selected from polymerized (i) unsubstituted styrene monomers, (ii) ortho-substituted styrene monomers, (iii) meta-substituted styrene monomers, (iv) alpha-methylstyrene, (v) 1,1-diphenylethylene, (vi) 1,2-diphenylethylene and (vii) mixtures thereof.

10. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the sulfonated block copolymer has the general configuration A-B-A, A-B-A-B-A, (A-B-A)_nX, (A-B)_nX, A-D-B-D-A, A-B-D-B-A, (A-D-B)_nX, (A-B-D)_nX or mixtures thereof, where n is an integer from 2 to about 30, and X is a coupling agent residue and wherein each D block is a polymer block resistant to sulfonation and the plurality of A blocks, B blocks, or D blocks are the same or different.

11. The membrane of claim 10 wherein each D block is selected from the group consisting of (i) a polymerized or copolymerized conjugated diene selected from isoprene, 1,3-butadiene having a vinyl content prior to hydrogenation of between 20 and 80 mol percent, (ii) a polymerized acrylate monomer, (iii) a silicon polymer, (iv) polymerized isobutylene and (v) mixtures thereof, wherein any segments containing polymerized 1,3-butadiene or isoprene are subsequently hydrogenated.

12. An energy recovery system having a core unit permitting heat and moisture exchange between at least two air streams, said core unit comprising:

a plurality of spacer elements arranged in a stacked configuration, said spacer elements forming air passageways configured for the flow of at least two independent air streams therethrough,

a plurality of laminated membranes with said spacer interposed therebetween, said membranes being comprised of a microporous fibrous substrate support and a film comprising a sulfonated block copolymer laminated to the microporous substrate support whereby said film is bonded to the microporous support,

said sulfonated block copolymer having at least one end block A and at least one interior block B wherein each A block contains essentially no sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups and each B block is a polymer block containing from about 10 to about 100 mol percent sulfonic acid or sulfonate ester functional groups based on the number of monomer units of the B block.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said passageways are comprised of two sets of passageways with a first set arranged in a first direction and a second set arranged in a second direction different from said first direction thereby enabling said at least two independent air streams to have a cross-flow pattern.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the spacer element is metal, fiberglass or plastic.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the microporous substrate support is a fibrous woven or non-woven material.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the microporous substrate support is selected from the group consisting of carbon, fiberglass, polyester, polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, cellulose, cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, nylon, polytetrafluoroethylene.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein said sulfonated block copolymer is heat laminated, solvent laminated or adhesive laminated on the microporous substrate support.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein said film comprises a blend of said sulfonated block copolymer with hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated thermoplastic elastomeric styrenic block copolymers, and mixtures thereof.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein each A block comprises one or more segments selected from polymerized (i) para-substituted styrene monomers, (ii) ethylene, (iii) alpha olefins of 3 to 18 carbon atoms;

(iv) 1,3-cyclodiene monomers, (v) monomers of conjugated dienes having a vinyl content less than 35 mol percent prior to hydrogenation, (vi) acrylic esters, (vii) methacrylic esters, and (viii) mixtures thereof.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein each B block comprises segments of one or more vinyl aromatic monomers selected from polymerized (i) unsubstituted styrene monomers, (ii) ortho-substituted styrene monomers, (iii) meta-substituted styrene monomers, (iv) alpha-methylstyrene, (v) 1,1-diphenylethylene, (vi) 1,2-diphenylethylene and (vii) mixtures thereof.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the sulfonated block copolymer has the general configuration A-B-A, A-B-A-B-A, (A-B-A)_nX, (A-B)_nX, A-D-B-D-A, A-B-D-B-A, (A-D-B)_nX, (A-B-D)_nX or mixtures thereof, where n is an integer from 2 to about 30, and X is a coupling agent residue and wherein each D block is a polymer block resistant to sulfonation and the plurality of A blocks, B blocks, or D blocks are the same or different.